Nannies and childminders can return to work in relief for parents – but they must follow social distancing rules

NANNIES and childminders can now go back to work to enable more parents to return to their own jobs as part of the government's plans to slowly lift lockdown.

In a televised speech to the nation, Boris Johnson last night said Brits should be "actively encouraged to go to work" if they can't do their jobs from home to get the economy moving again.

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To free up more parents to be able to do so, the government has now confirmed nannies and childminders can return work.

In its "plan to rebuild", the government says it is "amending its guidance to clarify that paid childcare, for example nannies and childminders, can take place subject to being able to meet the public health principles, because these are roles where working from home is not possible.

"This should enable more working parents to return to work."

The public health principles include social distancing from people outside your household, keeping your hands and face as clean as possible and walking, cycling or taking the car to work.

The principles also advise keeping indoor places well-ventilated, washing clothes regularly and avoiding face to face contact.

But the PM said this afternoon that if parents cannot secure childcare, they should not be made to work by their bosses.

He told the House of Commons: "I want to stress if you can’t get the childcare you need to get to work then that is plainly an impediment on your ability to work and your employer should recognise that."

It is hoped that nurseries and primary schools will be able to reopen from June 1, with children in Reception, Year One and Year Six initially allowed to return, allowing more parents to go back to work.

The Government wants all children in primary schools for at least a month before they break up for the summer holidays, and aims to ensure that the youngest children, and those preparing for secondary school, have "maximum time with their teachers".

Secondary schools will not open again until at least September, although pupils in Year 10 and Sixth Form who face GCSE and A Level exams next year will be able to speak with their teachers before the summer break.

However, parents will not be fined if they do not wish their children to attend.

Schools, colleges and nurseries closed seven weeks ago due to the coronavirus outbreak, remaining open only for vulnerable youngsters and the children of key workers.

The Government's 50-page strategy says local authorities and schools should urge more vulnerable children, as well as the children of critical workers, to attend school as there is a "large societal benefit".

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said that publishing a "vague outline of a strategy" before any detailed guidance is available for childcare providers is "unhelpful" for a sector already under pressure.

He said: "Nurseries, pre-schools and childminders need a clear plan of action on how they are going to be supported, both practically and financially, to reopen as lockdown eases.

"While the road map states that the Government expects children to be able to return to early years settings from June 1 - and for childminders, from as early as this week - the sector urgently needs more detail on exactly how this is expected to work in practice."

Mr Leitch added: "Early years providers are going to face significant changes to the way they operate on a day-to-day basis, including a likely reduction in the demand for childcare places as some parents opt to keep their children home rather than returning to their settings.

"As such, Government urgently needs to outline what steps it is planning to take to ensure that providers are able to remain financially sustainable during this period, as well as how it will ensure that both practitioners and the families they care for can best be kept safe."

One idea being considered by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) is if it is safe to change the rules to allow one household to expand and include one other household in the same group.

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This could allow two households to share childcare duties, freeing up more people to return to work.

But more than 400,000 people have signed a petition urging the Government to give parents a choice on sending their children back to school if they reopen next month.

And teaching unions have warned that the plan to reopening primary schools by June 1 is "reckless".