Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to ensure that no children’s centres are closed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

The decision on whether to keep Sure Start children’s centres open in response to the COVID-19 outbreak is a decision for local authorities to take.

Local authorities have a duty under the Childcare Act (2006) to ensure that there are sufficient children’s centres to meet the needs of local families, and a duty to consult where permanent changes are planned to local children’s centre provision. If a council decides to close a Sure Start children’s centre on a permanent basis, statutory guidance requires them to demonstrate that local children and families will not be adversely affected.