Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department plans to issue to early years providers on the covid-19 self-isolation rules that apply before the 16 August 2021 in the context that the requirement to keep school-aged children in self-contained bubbles will end at the beginning of the 2021 summer holidays.

Firstly, I would like to offer my thanks to all early years providers for their support in the national effort to isolate, track and manage the spread of the virus.

Since 19 July 2021, we have not asked early years settings to keep children in consistent groups (‘bubbles’) or to reduce mixing between groups. Updated guidance was issued to the sector on 6 July which included a Frequently Asked Questions document and a process map explaining the changes to contact tracing and self-isolation.

Additionally, early years settings are no longer asked to undertake routine contact tracing as NHS Test and Trace are now taking a more active role in notifying close contacts.

Until 16 August, anyone identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case should continue to self-isolate. From 16 August, fully vaccinated individuals will not have to self-isolate at the point they are identified as a close contact of a positive case. This will also apply to anyone under 18 who is identified as a close contact.