1. COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship during the pandemic
This guidance is designed to enable the safe reopening of places of worship for a broader range of activities. the document is translated to Arabic, Bengali, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, French, Guajarati, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Somali, Urdu.
2. COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable
Information for shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19. This document is translated to Arabic, Bengali, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, French, Guajarati, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Urdu.
3. COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection
Stay at home guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. you will find 2 different documents in this link.
A. Guidance for household with possible or confirmed corona virus. This document is translated to Arabic, Bengali, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, French, Guajarati, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Urdu.
B. Guidance for household with grandparents, parents and children living together where someone is at increased risk or has a possible or confirmed corona virus. Arabic, Bengali, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, French, Guajarati, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Urdu.
This page contains information on COVID-19 of relevance for asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in the West Midlands, as well as those working with and supporting them. It is not an exhaustive and up-to-the-minute source of information on COVID-19 and we urge people to check official gov.uk and nhs.uk websites for the latest information. Some information is repeated as it relates to more than one section of the page. If you have questions or comments on this webpage or on COVID-19 insofar as it relates to migration, please contact wmsmp@birmingham.gov.uk.
COVID-19 is still in our community. The only way to eliminate it is to stop it from spreading. All of us have the power to beat the virus. Here’s how you can play your part…
You will find information in Albanian, Arabic, Farsi, Guajarati, Hungarian, Kurdish, Mandarin, Polish, Romanian, Spanish and Urdu. The information is: letters to citizens, Community Response information, Community Response leaflets and letters.
Also, you will find Health advice in 60 languages, as well as, mental health information in Guajarati, Polish, Romanian and Urdu.
Finally, you will find the link to our Kirklees Welcomes translated information section and other useful information as well.
1. A group of doctors, medical students and volunteers have created infographics to help summarise key points about COVID-19 in a variety of languages to get the right information, in an easy to understand format, to these communities.
You need to choose first the language (the information is available in 40 languages). Then click on the section you need to read about: CO19 advice, school advice, non co19 patient advice and shop advice. In each section you will find info graphs about different related topic.
2. Doctors of the World, in partnership with the Mayor of London, has produced motion graphic videos with key COVID-19 information for migrants living in the UK.
These are available in 11 priority languages: Bengali, Bulgarian, English, Kurdish Sorani, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Turkish and Vietnamese.
Through a programme of arts, cultural and educational events alongside media and creative campaigns, Refugee Week brings about positive encounters between communities, helping them to connect and learn from each other, and promoting a culture of welcome.
Books transport us…..Through the page, we can reach out and touch another’s experience, or take a hike with them through the mountains and valleys of their imagination.
We encourage everyone to register with the libraries across Kirklees. Therefore, we produced a leaflet to explain how to register and what we offer. As we don’t want anyone to be excluded, we translated the leaflet to 11 languages in order to try most of the people living in Kirklees. The translation have been done by a group of Kirklees Council employees who volunteered to do translation, as well as, Welcome Mentors volunteers.
Preferable to use Google Chrome to listen to audio
These posts include important information about how parents could receive the e-voucher for free school meals if their children are entitled to this. You will find the information in a PDF document, as well as, video or audio file. Information is translated into Arabic, Kurdish, Farsi, Hungarian, Polish, Amharic, Mandarin, Albanian, Romanian, Spanish and Urdu.
Leeds Council has released videos on 3 main topics in Polish, Romanian, Urdu, Arabic, Czech, Punjabi, Tigrinya, Farsi, Slovak, Kurdish Sorani and Bengali. 1ae
1. Spot the signs – This short film contains information to help people spot the signs of coronavirus and gives advice for households with possible coronavirus infection.
2. Hand washing advice This short film contains information about how you can help stop the spread of viruses, like coronavirus, by practising good respiratory and hand hygiene.
3. Essential advice – This short film contains information for households with possible coronavirus infection.
Migration Yorkshire have just launched the new Migrant Information Hub – www.migrantinfohub.co.uk.
The Migrant Information Hub aims to offer useful information and resources to help migrants, and those supporting them, to stay safe, connected and informed, and to reduce the harmful impacts of coronavirus (Covid-19) on our region and on people’s lives. It includes new multi-lingual resources, national guidance, local services and support, plus news and updates on specific migrant issues.
We would be grateful if you would circulate details of this resource as widely as possible.
In this post, we will keep you updated regarding the following services:
Health team, Education/children and young people team, voluntary sector, post decision, immigration advice, Mears, Migrant Help and Home Office.
Health
Whitehouse centre, NHS, TB and Health visiting team
Registered patients The practice is open but we are asking patients not to come to the practice. We are managing patients by phone. Anyone needing advice or assessment can call 03330436243 (8am to 6pm Monday to Friday). We are using telephone interpreters.
Asylum Seekers needing to register
Asylum seekers should continue to register. We have reduced the amount of paperwork required.
Ideally these could be completed by accommodation providers. In the email they could also alert us to any concerns and indicate if the client needs an urgent telephone call from us. Medication requests can be made by email (photograph boxes if not obvious what tablets are).
The crucial information we need is:
Name, DOB, Gender, Place of birth, Telephone number, Any previous address in the UK, Enough details of previous GP if there is one (so we do not create another record), Date of arrival in UK, Signature ideally (but not essentially given the situation if creates workload).
This form can be emailed to us at LCP.locala-WhitehouseCentre@nhs.net. If possible a scanned copy of any Home Office or Mears documentation is highly recommended. It will help us make sure we get the names and details correct.
Alternatively you can register on-line but we may also require supplementary information about medications etc
We will send the patient a text message when they have been registered to explain how to contact us.
Other queries Please feel free to email us if you have a question about a Kirklees asylum seeker and their health. Emergency matters can be assessed under ‘urgent and necessary care’ if the patient is not registered with us. This will be by phone initially.
NHS-CCG
“Appointments at your local doctors are now being held on the phone or online. If you have an appointment with a nurse or doctor they will contact you. Please do not walk into your doctors or health centre for any reason without being told to attend. If you have any health concerns you can use the NHS online tool which will help give advice https://111.nhs.uk/ before you call your doctors.”
Health Visiting: Business as usual. We continue to offer movement in visits, birth visits and Antenatal contacts face to face as long as the families are not self-isolating or showing any symptoms. We can skype the contact though. www.thrivingkirklees.org.uk/0-19-team T: 03033 309440
We are based within the Kirklees Education Safeguarding Service and support the children of Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Economic Migrants to access education.
Due to the Covid19 Pandemic all school and home visits have been cancelled however we are still here to support parents/carers to access educational provision for their children via telephone and email.
Throughout the lockdown we have been communicating regularly with families to ensure they are accessing free school meal vouchers, communication with school staffs and signposting to other services.
Updates on Free School Meals
The National Voucher Scheme will cease at the end of term and schools are now registering eligible pupils for the Summer School Meal Fund. This will be a voucher for £90 or £105 [if the school holiday is 7 weeks] and will be sent to the family via their school’s arrangements.
The INA Team would like to wish you a happy and safe summer break and look forward to supporting parents/carers and their pupils to return to school in September.
If you require any advice or support please contact us by telephone 01484 221919 or via email Ess.inat@kirklees.gov.uk. One of the team will contact you with an interpreter if required therefore please give name of child, address and telephone number.
Date: 09/07/2020
Kirklees College has been closed.
Kirklees College is planning to re=open in September, however, there’s no specific dates yet especially for the ESOL courses.
In normal years, the ESOL team has an assessment day where all ESOL students, new and old, are invited in to enrol and assessments. This part will be updated as soon as we receive any new information. Date: 07/07/2020
Voluntary Sector
In addition, some of the drop-in session of the voluntary sector organisation have been cancelled as well for now such as: 611, Reach and Connecting Opportunities.
However, there is a level of support available support locally specifically for asylum seekers via our fantastic Voluntary Sector:
DASH All drop-in session are now closed. Telephone service only. 07702 382 647 and 07926 457 599 Phone line open Mon – Fri, 9-5. Telephone appointments take place during usual drop-in hours: Tuesday mornings and Thursdays
Please note, the phone line is to triage and arrange appointments. Services: asylum casework, destitution support, welfare referrals. (Migrant Help, Mears, Post Decision, Welcome Centre, Whitehouse Centre)
For updates: Twitter @DASH_ASYLUM_UK Facebook @DestituteAsylumSeekersHuddersfield
Dated: 26/06/2020
Volunteers Together Service: By telephone only 07804867564. When: 5 days a week Mon to Fri 10:00 till 16:00 Dated: 08/04/2020
Women’s Centre: Service: Over the phone only 01484 450866 When: Calls from 9 until 4 (answer machine available outside this time Offering emotional support over the phone and some online groups. New referrals accepted by email. Dated: 30/06/2020
Welcome Centre
The Welcome Centre can help anyone resident in South Kirklees who is struggling to afford to buy food. (If the client is from North Kirklees we can give details of organisations who can assist.)
As a food bank we obviously offer food but we can supply more than just food!
Our referral line 01484 340034 is open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, any professional working with an individual or family can make the referral. At present we are delivering directly to the client address, the next working day after the referral is made. All drivers are DBS checked and will deliver adhering to Government guidelines.The Welcome Centre stock Items: We can supply the following via telephone referral
· Food parcels (to suit available cooking facilities and dietary requirements) · Toiletry packs (soap, toilet rolls, toothbrush & toothpaste, razors, deodorant & shaving foam and sanitary items) · Cleaning Pack (Washing up liquid, dish cloth, sponge and J-Cloths) · Towels Pack (bath, hand and flannel) · Pair of Curtains (limited sizes available) · Duvet Quilt (new or clean and washed) · Bedding Pack (Duvet cover and sheet + pillowcases) · Pillow (1 for single, 2 for double bed) · PAT tested kettle and Toaster (if available) · Home Starter Pack (Crockery, cutlery and pans, can opener, sharp knife, tea towels, laundry powder)
To see the referral information poster please click here
Updated: 09/07/2020
Connecting Opportunities
We are open for new CO referrals now. Anyone who is aged 22 and over and has a right to live and work in UK and has arrived in UK as a refugee or migrant can apply by going onto Migration Yorkshire website through online application for Connecting Opportunities or they can call Bary Malik on 07879 636427 .
Apart from weekly WhatsApp English classes we are also offering wellbeing workshops. for more details regarding those classes please contact Bary on the same number above. Date: 03/07/2020
Welcome Mentors
Are now providing a “Telephone Welcome Mentors” service. – Translating important information to people whose first language is not English. – Support – Befriending referrals assisting them by completing regular telephone communications to support the individuals wellbeing. This may also include text and Whats App. We have the new link on line at Volunteering Kirklees. https://volunteeringkirklees.org.uk/job/telephone-welcome-mentor/ Dated: 07/07/2020
Meet try and learn
The project will return when social distancing measures are removed. Dated: 07/07/2020
This Way 4 English
We are now offering over the phone Assessments – please contact Anita on 07425444080 via phone , text or WhatsApp.
Free Zoom ESOL Classrooms
WhatsApp your Zoom teacher Saira on 07776 588698 for more information Dated: 07/07/2020
Job Centre Service: Customers advised not to attend face to face appointments for 3 months. You could find their updates on https://twitter.com/@dwp Dated: 08/04/2020
Post Decision Team: Due to the current Covid-19 situation, the Customer Service Centres are only dealing with those who are homeless on the day. Please do not present at Customer Service Centres, instead call the team on 01484 221350 and ask for “Housing Solutions”. A member of the team will then make contact with you. The Post Decision cases need to make a claim for mainstream benefits. They will continue to receive financial support until their benefits have come through. However, once they have received their first payment they must inform the Home Office, to avoid any overpayments being made. Dated: 09/07/2020
Refugee Council has been calling on the government to protect people seeking asylum and refugees at risk due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. We are particularly concerned for people who are unable to access accommodation or support, those on limited support and those in shared accommodation who may be unable to self-isolate.
This page provides a summary of the government’s response to date, noting key temporary changes to asylum and resettlement policy and practice. Information will be updated on a daily basis. Last updated at 10:00am, on 3rd July 2020
The Home Office are still registering asylum claims (though some people have reported difficulties getting their claims registered). If people do not claim asylum at the port of entry, screening interviews usually take place at the Asylum Intake Unit in Croydon (south London).
In response to the Covid-19 crisis, the Home Office are now also doing some asylum screening interviews in Glasgow, Belfast (which was already a screening interview location if you arrived to the UK in Northern Ireland), Liverpool, Leeds, Solihull and Cardiff.
Substantive (big) asylum interview
The Home Office have now (since July) begun doing some asylum interviews by video call. The Home Office were already using video link for some asylum interviews prior to the Coronavirus crisis. The Home Office are prioritising people who live closest to the video interview facilities (to reduce the need for travel). They intend to begin face-to-face interviews again at a later date.
Further submissions (fresh claims)
Previously, most people who wanted to submit further evidence to be considered as a fresh claim (read more in the Right to Remain Toolkit here) had to go and do this in person in Liverpool.
This requirement has been stopped for now – there are no face-to-face appointments in Liverpool taking place
You can submit further evidence by post or email.
The Home Office prefer evidence to be sent by email but this will not be possible for everyone.
Remember if you are sending it yourself (without the help of a lawyer), you will need to explain who you are, and what the evidence is, and how it amounts to a fresh claim – do not just send the evidence without explanation.
The details for sending the evidence are:
Postal address:
Further Submissions Unit The Capital Building Old Hall Street Liverpool L3 9PP
E-mail address:
CSUEC@homeoffice.gov.uk
You do not need to contact the Further Submissions Unit by telephone first – you can just email your evidence, along with a completed further submissions form. For an explanation of the questions the form asks, see the Right to Remain Toolkit section on fresh claims.
The maximum size of attachment (the documents you are sending) to the email is 20MB, you can send multiple emails if you will go over this amount. It would be useful to connect the multiple emails by saying in the email, for example “this is email 1 of 5”; “this is email 2 of 5.”
If you want to know about the progress of a fresh claim/further submissions you have already submitted, you can email the Home Office at csupostteam@homeoffice.gov.uk
Mears updates Business as usual Food Packs are available to vulnerable Asylum Seekers. Asylum Seekers need to contact Mears directly. Dated: 08/04/2020
Migrant Help A lot of staff members are working from home, however, We ask for support from our sector and the community to help direct our clients appropriately, particularly in encouraging clients to use our free national telephone line (0808 8010 503) for asylum queries. Dated: 08/04/2020
Kirklees Council events postponed
Kirklees Welcomes Briefing sessions: 20 March 2020 – Dewsbury library – Dewsbury 23 April 2020 – The Mission – Huddersfield
Introduction to Migration: 26 March 2020 – Howlands Centre – Dewsbury 30 April 2020 – The Mission – Huddersfield
