Contact arrangements do not necessarily have to stop if you are isolating yourselves.
If both households can keep to the same rules about isolation and travel between the two can be managed safely then the arrangements for direct contact should continue where possible. Remember that unless your child has underlying health conditions the risk of infection is less to the child than to those they might spread the infection to.
If one household has a high risk member in it, consider whether the child moving to another environment temporarily might be safer, and also allow the child more freedom and normality than the total quarantine.
Keep in mind who will be looking after a child if they fall ill, and being able to distance them from high risk relatives.
If it is not possible to continue direct contact with one parent, the parent with care must make sure that a regular routine of contact by phone or video call is put in place.
If you have a school aged child, then keep to a regular routine to maintain structure around the home-school day, and contact arrangements should also be structured around this.
Many schools and local authorities are providing online materials to help education continue at home. If children are spending time between parents, then the parents should divide their school work between them at the start of each week and co-ordinate how this is managed.
As the guidance and requirements from the government are changing daily make sure that you keep up to date with the news.
Reassure your children that things are going to be very different and will be changing often, but this is all to make sure that things are ok and will return to normal as soon as possible. The most reassuring thing will be for them to know that both parents are working together.
For more information and to find out how we can help you, please contact a member of our Family Team on 0345 646 0406 or fill in our online enquiry form and a member of the Team will be in touch.