Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to provide financial support to private childcare providers who have experienced a loss of income due to the covid-19 outbreak.

I would like to extend my thanks to the childcare sector for everything they have done to enable critical workers to do their essential jobs, and to continue to care for children who are vulnerable during the COVID-19 outbreak. Since 1 June, early years providers have been able to open to children of all ages.

The government wants to support nurseries, pre-schools and childminders during what must continue to be a worrying and uncertain time.

We will continue to pay local authorities their regular instalments of Dedicated Schools Grant, including the early years block, as usual. We expect local authorities to follow the Department for Education's position and, in general, continue paying all childminders, schools and nurseries, for the early years entitlements.

A package of support is available for individuals and businesses and will benefit many childcare providers, including a business rates holiday, business interruption loans, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and help for the self-employed. Details of support for childcare providers is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures#funding.

We are continuing to work with the early years sector to understand how the sector can best be supported to ensure that sufficient safe, appropriate and affordable childcare is available for children now, and in the longer term.