Nottinghamshire County Council helps fund 22,000 childcare hours for keyworkers
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The council approved the use of emergency funding at a meeting of the children and young people’s committee for private, voluntary and independent childcare providers, so they could continue looking after children under five during a three-week period, including the Easter holidays.
At the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, the government instructed all schools and childcare providers to remain open for only the most vulnerable children and those of critical workers.
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The government funded free entitlements for two, three and four-year-olds, but this did not cover school holiday periods, when many working parents usually take leave, or rely on family members to cover childcare, which wasn’t an option this year.
The council allocated £300,000 to cover childcare over school holiday periods, including £84,000 to fund 22,000 hours of care over the Easter break, and more over the May half-term, so that critical workers were able to continue their vital work.
In total, 370 children were cared for at 139 different locations across Nottinghamshire during this time.
The majority of the children’s parents – 70 per cent – worked in education, health or social care, with the largest group working in healthcare, many on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
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The council also helped find alternative childcare for 35 children, as some providers were not able to stay open during the school break.
Coun Philip Owen, chairman of the children and young people’s committee, said: “It is absolutely vital that we continue to support keyworkers and vulnerable children during this pandemic, by supporting critical services like social care and the NHS, who are saving lives, caring for our friends and family, and keeping important services going.
“I’m very happy that we were able to support childcare providers with financial help over the schools’ Easter break.
“Without it, many would have had to close.”