Guidance on action for early years and childcare providers during COVID-19 can be found at: Actions for early years and childcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Childcare settings have their own health and safety risk assessments, and keep them under review. Nurseries and other childcare settings will also continue to keep measures in place to manage the spread of coronavirus, including regular handwashing and maintaining good hand hygiene, cleaning regularly and good ventilation.
Free symptomatic and asymptomatic testing has now ended for most people in England. Testing will continue in some high-risk settings and for some in groups considered at high risk of serious illness if infected with COVID-19.
You can find information about testing in Portsmouth on our website.
From 24 February 2022, close contacts will no longer need to self-isolate regardless of their vaccination status.
Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend.
Read the latest self-isolation guidance.
Under-5s do not need to self-isolate if a close contact of a positive case. If they have symptoms of coronavirus, they are advised to take a PCR test and follow the latest guidance.
If you insist on your child attending nursery or a child minder when they have symptoms, the setting can take the decision to refuse your child if, in their reasonable judgement, it is necessary to protect other pupils and staff from possible infection with COVID-19. Their decision would need to be carefully considered in light of all the circumstances and current public health advice.
What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges.
From 24 February 2022 the Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme will end. If you were told to self-isolate before 24 February you can still make a claim up to 6 April.
The contingency framework describes the principles of managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 in education and childcare settings. Local authorities, directors of public health (DsPH) and UKHSA health protection teams can recommend measures described in the contingency framework in individual education and childcare settings – or a small cluster of settings – as part of their outbreak management responsibilities.
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 the local health protection team to support outbreak management. In this scenario, settings may share proportionate and relevant information as requested. The sharing of information in these exceptional circumstances 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.
You can still renew your 30-hour code and tax-free childcare in the same way as you would normally by logging into your account on the Childcare Choices website.
Find more information about these changes.
You can use this link if you need help to find childcare in Portsmouth.
If you are unable to find a suitable place, please email us at eyfunding@portsmouthcc.gov.uk for support from our outreach officers.
