Nursery World - Childminders support colleagues

Childminders in Cumbria are rallying to help colleagues affected by the continuing foot and mouth crisis. The National Childminding Association (NCMA) Kendal Support Group has organised an emergency back-up plan to support childminders in the event of the foot and mouth crisis worsening in the area. One of the local childminders lives on a farm and will be unable to continue looking after the children in her care if the farm is declared a restricted area, so fellow childminders have volunteered to help if emergency procedures are introduced.

The National Childminding Association (NCMA) Kendal Support Group has organised an emergency back-up plan to support childminders in the event of the foot and mouth crisis worsening in the area. One of the local childminders lives on a farm and will be unable to continue looking after the children in her care if the farm is declared a restricted area, so fellow childminders have volunteered to help if emergency procedures are introduced.

Sue Ernshaw, NCMA Kendal support group co-ordinator, said, 'Thankfully we have not needed to give help yet but the support group has devised a contingency plan. One of the childminders in our area lives on a farm. She is still able to look after the children in her care, but if the foot and mouth outbreak affects her farm there are childminders on stand-by to help her.

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