Nursery World - DfE survey finds around half of parents sending their child back to childcare today

Around half of parents are expected to send their child back to their early years setting today, according to a survey commissioned by the Department for Education.

Children at Early Years at Bincombe Valley Primary School returning today. Photo: Twitter

According to the findings of the DfE commissioned research, 49 per cent of birth to four-year-olds that used either formal or informal childcare before Covid-19 have parents that intend to return their child to early years settings from 1 June once they open for more children from today.

The research of more than 1,000 parents was carried out by Ipsos Mori from 15-20 May.

Of those children that were attending formal childcare settings before the lockdown, 55 per cent are expected to attend formal childcare from today, 29 per cent are not, 16 per cent of parents did not know.

The most common reason given by parents whose children were expected to send their child back to their early years setting today, was wanting the child to return to their usual routine (58 per cent).

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