fbpx 3 March: Roadmap out of lockdown guidance - London Youth

03 March 2021

What is the Roadmap?

From Monday 8th March, COVID restrictions will begin to be loosened in England. The government has announced a Roadmap with a series of Steps, each with accompanying national restrictions and the earliest dates that these could be reached.

You can find the new restrictions here.

What does this mean for the youth sector?

The National Youth Agency’s has published its most recent guidance for the youth sector in England (Version 5.0). We encourage all of our members to read the latest guidance, which you can find here.

A few key points:

  • We encourage all of our members to be cautious with planning around these changes and to keep in mind that these dates are only the earliest possible dates.
  • Restrictions are national with no regional tiers.
  • Requirements for the youth sector apply to all age groups.
  • All facilities must be COVID-Secure and all services consistent with social distancing guidelines as laid out in the NYA guidance.

Changes on 8th March: Step 1a (Readiness Level Red)

The following activities will be permitted:

  • Online and digital youth services to all young people (irrespective of
    need/vulnerability).
  • Detached youth services (see additional guidance here).
  • 1-2-1 sessions for high-need young people (indoors).
  • Support group sessions (indoors or outdoors). A support group must be by invitation only and include no more than 15 young people, plus workers/volunteers per session. Young people may be invited to attend a ‘support group’ if one or more of the following applies: vulnerable children and young people or where the provision is:
    • Reasonably necessary to enable their parents and carers to work, search for work, undertake education or training, or attend a medical appointment or address a medical need, or attend a support group.
    • A targeted one-to-one session or group to provide support and assistance for a specific issue.
    • Being used by electively home educating parents as part of their arrangements for their child to receive a suitable full-time education.
    • For the purposes of obtaining a regulated qualification, meeting the entry requirements for an education.
    • Note: It will be the responsibility of parents, not youth organisations, to decide if a young person is eligible to attend.

What will change:

  • The expansion of support groups to four new groups of young people, as listed above.

Changes on 29th March: Step 1b (Readiness Level Amber)

Activities permitted under Step 1a, as well as the following changes:

  • Open access and drop in services can resume for outdoor only activities for all young people. Young people need to be placed in bubbles of 15, plus staff/volunteers and may only enter premises for personal welfare reasons (use of toilets etc).
  • Trips and visits are permitted for all young people. Although, residentials, camping and overnight stays are prohibited.


Read more about how we’re supporting our members during COVID-19.

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