Nursery World - Early years settings receiving contradictory Government guidance on PPE

Childcare providers are receiving contradictory guidance over the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) if they are unable to obtain it from their local supply chains.

The Department for Education advices that earl years staff should wear PPE if a child begins to show signs of coronavirus, while in their care

Guidance on Implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings issued by the Department for Education (DfE) on 12 May, states that education, childcare and children’s social care settings and providers should use their local supply chains to obtain PPE, but that, ‘Where this is not possible, and there is unmet urgent need for PPE in order to operate safely, they may approach their nearest local resilience forum.’ 

However, the Early Years Alliance reports that it has been told by several local resilience forums that they have been advised to follow guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on supplying PPE. Childcare providers are not included on the list of organisations eligible to receive PPE via the forums in that guidance.

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