ÍõÖÐÍõ¿ª½±½á¹û raises concerns about Covid-19 guidance for childminders
By Rachel Lawler
The ÍõÖÐÍõ¿ª½±½á¹û has raised concerns about the Covid-19 guidance for childminders after the government announced that it was removing almost all of the Covid-19 rules in England.
The new guidance states that "You cannot childmind in your home when someone living there has any of the main symptoms of Covid-19 [or] a positive test" and that "you cannot childmind children in your home until everyone living with you who has symptoms, or a positive test, has finished self-isolating".
The ÍõÖÐÍõ¿ª½±½á¹û raised concerns about this contradiction to the Department for Education, who has advised that from Thursday 24 February, "adults and children who test positive will continue to be advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least 5 full days, and then continue to follow the guidance until they have received 2 negative test results on consecutive days. The guidance will also advise that people with symptoms of Covid-19 or a positive test result should not have social visitors to the home."
They stated that this means that "childminders should not childmind in their home when someone living there has tested positive or have symptoms of Covid-19. This is because there is a higher risk of transmission to those attending the provision for childcare as they are in close proximity of the case and for extended periods of time".
However, the existing guidance still states that childminders "cannot" operate if they have a positive or suspected Covid-19 case in their household, despite the removal of legal self-isolation requirements as of 24 February.
On this point, the DfE has confirmed to the ÍõÖÐÍõ¿ª½±½á¹û that they "will continue to work with UKHSA to review guidance for childminders in line with the changes in the wider health advice for Covid-19".
Write to your MP today
Despite the fact that children who have been confirmed as close contacts have long been able to attend childminding settings, DfE guidance still states that childminders should not operate if they have a positive or suspected Covid-19 case, despite not providing any financial support to settings forced to close for this reason.
If you think this is unfair, you can write to your local MP using our quick-and-easy-template letter form, available .
We also have a separate form for parents and carers to write on your behalf, available .