Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will amend his Department's guidance in relation to childminders and covid-19 so that childminders can operate in circumstances where someone in their household has tested positive for, or has symptoms of, covid-19; and if he will make a statement.

Keeping children and staff safe is the government’s priority. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the department has listened carefully to the latest scientific and medical advice when developing guidance.

On 24 February 2022, the government removed the legal requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate. However, if anyone has any of the main symptoms or a positive test result, the public health advice remains unchanged and is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. The ‘COVID-19: people with COVID-19 and their contacts’ guidance also advises that people with symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test result should not have social visitors to the home. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts.

In light of the changes to the legal requirement to self-isolate, the department has reviewed and updated the guidance for childminders with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and it can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.

The guidance continues to be that childminders should not childmind in their home when someone living there has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19. This is because there is a higher risk of transmission to those attending the provision for childcare as they are in close proximity to the case and for extended periods of time.

In the guidance, the department has also outlined the options for childminders to continue childminding if there is someone who has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19 in their home.

The department will continue to work with the UKHSA to keep its guidance under review and make sure that the right control measures are in place for childminders.