Afraid the info you’ve been given is right and those that have been given <2m are wrong (unless they are CCF, when school rules apply)
Thanks, I thought NYA might plan something this week and I hadn’t seen it.
I thought their last guidance removed the bubble size limit but will have to re-read. I know RAFAC didn’t follow that change anyway.
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From the 12th April 2021 young provision for young people under 18yrs is no longer subject to controlled bubble/support group sizes (indoors or outdoors). However, the NYA recommends the guidance below continues to be followed where appropriate to minimise the risk of COVID-19 virus transmission.
Where it is possible to do so, providers should try to keep young people in consistent groups as they are in during the school day. This will minimise the amount of mixing between different groups outside of school, and therefore the risk of infection. We recommend working with parents and if possible, aligning with the same bubble grouping the young people are in at school/college. The goal is to minimise the amount of mixing between different groups of children and young people where at all possible.
Where it is not possible or it is impractical for youth sector organisations to group young people in the same bubbles as they
are in during the school day (for example, if there are only one or two children attending the provision from the same school or school day bubble), providers may need to group children with other children from outside their school day bubble, or from a different school. If possible, try to keep young people in consistent bubbles week to week (especially if from different schools) to avoid unnecessary mixing.
If providers need to do this, we are recommending that they, as far
as possible, keep children and young people in bubbles of no more than 15, of the same children and young people each time wherever possible (that is, do not mix groups unless absolutely necessary) and at least one staff member, depending on the type of provision or size of the group. Group sizes may need to be smaller than 15 children depending on factors such as age of the children and young people in attendance, size of the premises or the type of activity.
Workers/leaders are not included in the number of people in each bubble but should as far as reasonably possible remain with a single bubble.
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I’ve tried to highlight the bit from Ch9 of the latest guidance (V5.2). Sorry bit of a struggle on the phone! The wording on the NYA website is slightly more vague than in the document as above.
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It did remove it (as a firm statement), but as @WestlandScout says above they still recommend the use of bubbles.
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Yep. The “can be reduced” was in some of the earlier versions last year, I believe the intention was “extra precautions” meant masks as I think at one point they weren’t “at all times” mandatory. I.e. Once sat down 2m apart (side by side/back to back) they could be removed.
Certainly for work we can’t be routinely <2m but can go to 1m+ with a mask where distancing isn’t possible (the example given in my Covid training was moving an item that is a 2 person lift - the mask option came after ‘use something else’ or ‘use a trolley or pump truck’).
What we can’t do is use 1m+ as the default because it is more convenient, I think that is HQAC’s view too.
The ambiguity certainly isn’t helpful, leads to local rules!
I saw a social media post last night from a squadron showing approx 30 cadets and staff all in the hall together so assumed that the bubble of 15 cadets had been lifted. Or they’re silly enough to break the rules and post it?
They might be allowed more than one bubble at a time - some in our wing are - based on the size of their building…
…but I did think they had to remain separate.
Yeah, this was my thought’s initially. But they were all in the hall together. Seeing as the 15 limit is now a grey area this makes sense I guess!
Many have been told that 15 is a max number per building. not allowed more than one bubble.
We come back this week - plan on remaining outside for first few parades, hopefully then we will have worked out what the new rules are from the 17th by the time we want to be inside!
Not heard this. If you can manage them and keep them apart, and have space…
That was my interpretation also. One example is a spooner hut. Can get about 20 in fare enough. The other is an ex TA Centre with a massive hall and other rooms told that its one bubble only. Hall will hold two bubbles comfortably plus there are other smaller rooms.
This is the same as the unit I’m on and to my knowledge they’ve not been restricted to one bubble only.
Is it a Wales rule-variant subtlety?
I’ve not heard this.
Was on a course on a weekend and chatting to other staff there some of them have been running two bubble parade nights - although with one outside and one inside.
Our building isn’t really big enough for two bubbles of 15 though, so not something I’ve personally had to think about.
How about two of 10, or 8?
Perhaps, but we’re just trying to keep it simple at the moment.
Edit: My point was I’ve not seen anything about one bubble of 15 per building because we’ve not even considered doing more than that yet. So also being in Wales I can’t confirm whether it’s a Welsh quirk or something more local.
No no, I got that. 
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NYA have sent an email saying (England) moves to Yellow readiness on May 17th.
Webinar is 1300hrs Thursday.
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