Shadow early years minister to meet with sector to discuss coronavirus impact
Catherine Gaunt
Friday, April 17, 2020
Shadow early years minister Tulip Siddiq is holding a virtual roundtable meeting next week with representatives from the early years and childcare sector to hear the challenges providers face in the Covid-19 crisis.
The meeting on Wednesday (22 April) will include the Early Years Alliance, the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY), Early Education, the National Education Union, Ceeda and Coram Family and Childcare.
The discussion will include:
- The immediate financial threats facing early years providers, such as loss of parents’ fees
- The suitability and accessibility of the Government’s business and wage support schemes
- Difficulties providing childcare to key workers and vulnerable children without direct support to do so
- Potential problems if schools and early years settings are asked to re-open with fewer children
- How providers can survive this crisis and how the sector can rebuild afterwards
The shadow minister will feed back issues raised to Vicky Ford, the minister for children and families.
Tulip Siddiq MP, Labour’s shadow minister for early years, said, ‘This is a very challenging time for nurseries, childminders and other childcare providers. With parents’ fees drying up and rents continuing, I know many face an existential threat and are finding it difficult to stay open for key workers and vulnerable children.
‘I look forward to meeting with key players in the early years sector next week to discuss these issues. We will be looking at what more support early years providers need to survive the coronavirus pandemic and provide vital childcare services to those who need it in this crisis, and I will feed suggestions raised back to the Government.’
