You are here: News Statement from Coram Family and Childcare: Nursery closures

18th March 2020
By Hannah Parlett

In response to the recent announcement about nursery closures, Coram Family and Childcare have made the following statement: 

We understand and respect the government’s decision to close childcare providers and schools. This will have huge impacts for families across the UK and Government must step in now to make sure that parents aren’t left out of pocket if they can’t work. This should include asking employers to be as supportive as possible to working parents, and making financial help available immediately through the benefits system for parents on low and middle incomes if they can't work.

Most childcare providers are small businesses, and they operate on very tight margins. If they don’t have any income, they will go out of business. We welcome Government’s commitment to continue free early education funding but this isn’t enough, as most settings also rely on parent fees. Government must protect them – so they’re able to start providing childcare again as soon as the closure period ends.

 

  1. Should parents work from home? Many parents will be trying to work from home, but realistically this is difficult with the youngest children, so employers must be reasonable about what they expect.
  2. Should parents try to find informal childcare? Each family will need to make their own individual decisions about this, but employers mustn’t expect parents to use unregulated childcare – this just moves the problem around, without the safety and quality assurance provided by Ofsted.
  3. What about grandparents? Again, families will need to make their own decisions, but no-one should feel forced to put older or vulnerable relatives at risk by asking them to provide childcare. It’s really important that government give families clarity about how their jobs and incomes will be protected so people are able to care for their children without worrying about the bills.
  4. Do parents still have to pay fees if their setting is closed? All settings work in slightly different ways, so this will depend on your individual contract with your provider. We hope that Government will support providers and make it possible for them to refund all fees for childcare that isn’t delivered.

-ENDs-

For more information, please contact Emma Lamberton, Communications Manager, Coram at emma.lamberton@coram.org.uk / 0207 520 0427 / 07908 827908.

About Coram Family and Childcare

Coram Family and Childcare works to make the UK a better place for families by bringing together what we learn from our on the ground parent-led programmes and our research to campaign for solutions that parents want and need. We focus on childcare and early years to make a difference to families’ lives now and in the long term.

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