Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on working parents, including key workers, of having to supervise children self-isolating from childcare settings while awaiting PCR covid-19 test results; and what steps he is taking to mitigate and minimise that impact.

No specific assessment has been made. Children and young people aged under 18 years and six months old who usually attend an education or childcare setting and who have been identified as a close contact can continue to attend as normal.

Working parents or guardians of a child or young person who has been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace may be eligible for support via the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme if they live in England and meet specific eligibility criteria. The payment covers the full 10-day self-isolation period. If an individual has to look after someone who is required to self-isolate, they may also qualify for other welfare and COVID-19 support, such as Universal Credit and/or the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.