Nursery World - DfEE throws financial lifeline to childcarers in rural disease areas

Early years organisations have welcomed a Government move to offer financial aid to childcarers in rural parts of England affected by the foot and mouth epidemic. The Department for Education and Employment has written to all Early Years Develop-ment and Childcare Partnerships in England telling them to help providers affected by the crisis, following fears voiced by partnerships that some settings could go out of business because exclusion zones kept children and staff from attending.

The Department for Education and Employment has written to all Early Years Develop-ment and Childcare Partnerships in England telling them to help providers affected by the crisis, following fears voiced by partnerships that some settings could go out of business because exclusion zones kept children and staff from attending.

In the letter dated 15 March the DfEE said, 'The purpose of this message is to confirm that partnerships are able, if they wish, to use some of their childcare grant to give appropriate support to childcare providers in these unusual circumstances. This may, of course, result in the need for a revised bid if you have not put part of your grant aside for sustainability funding. I can also confirm that nursery education grant should continue to be paid in these circumstances.'

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