Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department plans to make available for childminders who are not able to work due to falling into the extremely vulnerable category during the covid-19 outbreak.
Our guidance for early years providers details the package of support the government has put in place for workers and businesses which will benefit childcare settings, including:
The guidance can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures#funding
Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, childminders have been asked to continue caring for vulnerable children and children of critical workers. To align with the government’s position on nannies, we have confirmed that paid childcare can be provided to the children of one household from Wednesday 13 May 2020. This includes childminders, who may choose to look after the children of one household if they are not already looking after vulnerable children or those of critical workers. From 1 June 2020, childminders can look after children of all ages, in line with their current Ofsted registration, and within usual limits on the number of children they can care for.