Nursery World - Warning that childminders could be lost from sector without more financial support

Thousands of childminders have written to their MPs calling for greater wage support now that settings can only care for vulnerable children and those of key workers.

Thousands of childminders have written to their MPs calling for more financial help during the coming months

It comes after the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a new Coronavirus job retention scheme on Friday, which does not include the self-employed.

The letters sent by 7,000 childminders are part of the Early Years Alliance’s Childminder Action campaign, launched on Saturday, which provided childminders with a letter template they could personalise with their individual concerns and send directly to their local MP.

As of this week, many childminders are facing full or partial closures due to the Government’s call for childcare settings to close to all but vulnerable children and those of key workers to slow the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

On Friday, the Chancellor announced the Government will allow all businesses to apply for grants to cover up to 80 per cent of staff salaries who are not working but kept on payroll for three months during the outbreak of the virus.

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