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Government slammed for failing to treat early years providers equally with schools

The Government has been criticised failing to provide extra funding for PPE and cleaning for nurseries, despite pledging thousands of pounds to support schools with their extra operating costs during the crisis.
Early years settings and schools are expected to reopen to more children from 1 June
Early years settings and schools are expected to reopen to more children from 1 June

The Early Years Alliance has written to the education secretary Gavin Williamson and the children and families minister Vicky Ford calling for an end to the unfair treatment of early years settings.

The letter argues that financial support to help keep children and staff safe, such as buying personal protective equipment (PPE) and paying for deep cleaning, is likely to be critical at a time when one in four providers fear closure as a result of the pandemic.

In guidance published on 7 April, the Department for Education confirmed that schools could apply for extra financial support to help with the ‘exceptional costs associated with Coronavirus for the period of March to July’, including increased premises related costs and additional cleaning costs.

Schools with 250 pupils or fewer are eligible to claim up to £25,000 worth of support, while those with more than 1,000 pupils can claim up to £75,000.

The guidance says that, for example, schools can use the fund for increased premises related costs, including utilities and resources needed to keep the school open, such as hygiene services, associated with keeping schools open during the Easter and/or summer half term holidays, for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers, over and above the costs that schools would have faced in other circumstances.

The fund can also be used for extra cleaning required due to confirmed or suspected coronavirus (Covid-19) cases.

The Alliance said that the Government has not announced any plans for any equivalent support schemes for early years providers, despite the fact that, like schools, they have been encouraged to stay open to key worker and vulnerable children since the end of March, and are now being asked to open more widely from 1 June. 

Commenting, Neil Leitch chief executive of the Alliance, said, ‘We know that many providers are still reviewing whether or not they will be able to open on 1 June – but for those that intend to do so, the Government must commit to providing the funding needed to meet the additional costs of operating during this period, just as they have already done for schools. 

‘Infection prevention is rightly a key consideration for providers planning for the reopening of their setting, which in practice will mean additional cleaning, the purchasing of PPE, the replacement of some equipment and resources, and the additional staff time required to carry out this work – all of which will come at no insignificant cost to providers. 

‘It beggars belief, therefore, that while the Government has already ensured that extra support has been made available to schools to help meet these costs, no equivalent financial commitment has been made for the many thousands of nurseries, pre-schools and childminders operating around the country. 

‘Early years providers are already facing significant financial difficulties as a result of inadequate government support during this period. The Government must act urgently to address this disparity and ensure that no provider is financially disadvantaged for trying to ensure that their setting is as safe as possible for their staff, families and the children in their care.’

Ministers are expected to make the final decision on whether to go ahead with the Government’s plan to reopen schools and settings on 28 May.

It has been reported that Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, has said the Government will 'review the latest science' next Thursday, and that the return of some pupils on June 1 'will be delayed' if the evidence does not support the decision.