Support for residential settings

Guidance for children's homes - reporting positive cases

Reporting positive cases

If anybody in your home tests positive it is essential that it is reported at the earliest opportunity so that Public Health are aware and can support you to make sure that you have taken the appropriate action to safeguard your young people and staff.

Please use this form and report to Public Health England, Public Health Birmingham and Birmingham Children’s Trust by sending this form to the following THREE email addresses: Please note this replaces the previous method for reporting to PHE.

A risk assessment will be completed on the information that you provide and a member of Public Health or Commissioning Team may contact you for more information.

Following the risk assessment, a multi-agency meeting may be called to discuss the risks and agree any further actions that should be taken.

Public Health Birmingham mailbox is monitored seven days a week from 9am to 5pm. If you require advice outside of these hours.

 You can contact Public Health England on 03442 253560.

General guidance for your home

  • Consider whether staff can work in bubbles eg a group of staff having the same shift pattern or in large homes the staff only working on one unit. This will limit the interactions between staff and reduce the impact of a positive case by reducing the number of close contacts who will be required to isolate or may be infected.
  • Remind staff to try and maintain social distance within the home where possible eg only one person in the kitchen at any one time, consider the arrangements for handovers.
  • Make staff aware of the definition of close contacts to help them to observe appropriate distancing.
  • Ensure regular cleaning schedule in place with a chlorine based solution e.g. Milton, particularly in areas where there is frequent contact, and e.g. door handles, bannisters and in areas such as staff sleeping-in room.