Early Years settings – coronavirus information

Early years and nursery provision has remained open to all throughout the lockdown.

Childcare settings have their own health and safety risk assessments, and keep them under review.

Everyone is encouraged to collect free no-symptom home-test kits to help to prevent the spread of infection.

In 2021, the early years foundation stage (EYFS) profile will not be mandatory but the government will require providers to try their best to complete it and provide the information to year 1 teachers and parents, if this is possible.

Self-isolation rules for close contacts in all settings changed on 16 August. Read the government update online.

• Close contacts who are fully vaccinated or under 18 no longer need to self-isolate
• All close contacts will be advised to take a PCR test – you should encourage anyone identified as a close contact to do this
• Individuals identified as close contacts will not need to self-isolate while they are awaiting the results of their test
• If the PCR result is positive, the individual must isolate and NHS Test and Trace will work with them to identify any close contact.

From 16 August, in line with fully vaccinated adults, under-18s identified as close contacts don’t need to self-isolate. Instead, they’ll be advised to take a PCR test.

Children who are aged under 5 years old and are identified as close contacts will only be advised to take a PCR test if the positive case is within their own household.

18 year olds will be given the opportunity to get fully vaccinated before being treated as adults. After this point, they will be subject to the same rules as adults. If they choose not to get vaccinated, they will need to self-isolate if identified as a close contact.

If parents or close contacts ask settings to provide personal information which would breach GDPR or data protection legislation, settings must not provide this information.

In exceptional circumstances, education and childcare settings may be contacted by NHS Track and Trace. This would only happen if it’s deemed necessary by local health protection teams in response to a local outbreak. In this scenario, settings may share proportionate and relevant information as requested by NHS Track and Trace without consent. The sharing of information in these exceptional circumstance doesn’t require consent, because it’s allowed by specific legislation. To support this, the existing privacy notices should continue to be in place and be easily accessible.

Childcare settings have their own health and safety risk assessments, and keep them under review.

Please contact your child’s provider for any questions or concerns related to the safety measures they put in place.