Nursery World - Early years services should be kept open and funding flexible in future lockdowns, says children's commissioner

Early years settings, schools and children’s centres should be kept open 'wherever possible' in the event of lockdown due to Covid-19, the children’s commissioner for England has said.

Keeping nurseries and primary schools open should be a priority in future lockdowns, says Anne Longfield

Funding for private childcare providers should also be flexible to ensure that nurseries in lockdown areas do not face financial crisis.

Commissioner Anne Longfield has set out the key actions needed to ensure children are at the heart of planning for any future coronavirus lockdowns, including making sure all children are back in school in September.

Ms Longfield said, ‘Too often during the first lockdown, children were an afterthought. Despite the welcome decision to keep schools open for vulnerable children, too few attended. ‘Those schools that did bring back more children before the summer holidays often found classes were only half full. That must change in September.

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