As we reported earlier, thousands of childminders had been left confused by contradictory Government guidance about when they would be able to reopen for more children.
The clarification by the Department for Education follows the publication of the prime minister’s exit strategy roadmap yesterday, which seemingly stated that childminders should return to work from 13 May, but which was at odds with separate guidance published by the Department for Education, which said that early years settings should open for more children from 1 June.
A DfE spokesperson confirmed to Nursery World that, ‘Our published guidance sets out that childminders and early years settings can open to more children from 1 June.
‘In line with the prime minister’s drive to get more people back into work where possible and to align with the Government’s position on nannies, we are updating our guidance for early years settings to be clear that paid childcare can be provided to the children of one household from Wednesday 13 May.
‘This includes childminders who may choose to look after the children of one household, if they are not already looking after vulnerable children or children of critical workers.’
There is no limit to the number or age of the children that childminders can reopen for, but they must live in the same household.
If you have stayed open for key workers and vulnerable children you cannot take on more children until 1 June.
The update to the guidance for early years and childcare settings will be published by the Department for Education shortly.
The Government’s 50-page strategy document about exiting the lockdown, published yesterday, stated that 'paid childcare', for example nannies and childminders, can return to work on Wednesday 13 May, in the first phase of the Government’s plan to ease the lockdown. It said this was 'because these are roles where working from home is not possible', although registered childminders do work from their homes.
The same guidance said that early years settings and schools are expected to reopen for more children from 1 June.
The more detailed Department for Education guidance, however, published after the prime minister’s document, said that registered childcare, including childminding, should be working towards reopening on 1 June.
