+ Q. What is COVID-19 (coronavirus)?

(Public Health Agency)

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common across the world. These viruses can cause mild symptoms ranging from a fever and cough to more serious conditions such as severe pneumonia, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In December 2019, a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan City, China. This virus has spread to other countries and a pandemic has now been declared. This means that the virus is widespread in many countries all over the world. The UK Chief Medical Officers have declared the risk to the UK to be high.

+ Q. How is COVID-19 transmitted?

COVID-19 is spreading from person-to-person. People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest)That is why CDC recommends that these patients be isolated either in the hospital or at home (depending on how sick they are) until they are better and no longer pose a risk of infecting others.

Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 March 2020).

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

+ Q. How can we prepare for COVID-19?

• Know How it Spreads - The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

• Take steps to protect yourself with healthy habits - Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid close contact with people who are sick – practice social distancing. Take steps to protect others – stay at home if you are sick. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash Immediately wash your hands. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

• Follow guidance from Public Health Agency and NI executive Departments – daily updates available.

• Business contingency support available on Early Years members’ area

• Contact your insurance provider

• Submit your queries to CVA@early-years.org

+ Q. Should we to close our setting?

Funded Pre-School Provision As of 17:00 on 24 March 2020, all schools and pre-schools in Northern Ireland have closed to children as of Friday 20 March 2020, with some re-opening on Monday 23 March 2020 under specific arrangements to support vulnerable children and children of keyworkers.

Advice on this has been issued to all Non-Statutory Pre-Schools from the Minister of Education.

Our team of specialists will be instigating a support package for all PSEP members in the coming days to help support groups through this current period.

Registered Childcare Providers As of yesterday evening 23 March 2020, the Department of Health issued guidance to all registered childcare providers detailing the following:

• The creation of a bespoke Approved Home Childcare Scheme in which staff in the sector can work for the duration of this crisis. This scheme matches childcare staff to keyworker families.
• Advice for Childcare Settings that details practical guidance for settings, including: o Restrictions in Numbers and mixing of age groups;

o Staff Training relating to COVID-19; and

o Best Infection-control Practice

o Effective COVID-19 policies and procedures

• A request for a response from settings to a survey link to ascertain each settings ability to continue operating in the current circumstances and whether or not you have an intention to close or remain open.

The links to the above correspondence can be accessed at www.early-years.org/covid19-sector.

We are advising all settings to carefully consider the communication issued from the Department and the Minister in making a response and to raise any queries to us on CVA@early-years.org.

+ Q. How can childcare providers support keyworkers?

Family Support NI are managing the regional lists of those settings, childminders and approved home carers who have notified that they are available to support keyworker children.

Providers that are interested in signing up to provide such support can do so by contacting info@familysupportni.gov.uk or phoning 0845 600 6483.

The Family Support NI team are currently updating their site with keyworker supporting providers and improving access arrangements for parents seeking placements.

We await further feedback from the Department on the full implications for settings wishing to engage in this. We continue to press for urgent clarity on this from the department and will update members when this is forthcoming.

For more on this, please visit: www.familysupportni.gov.uk

+ Q. Will PSEP funding continue and what should staff do?

Non-statutory settings will continue to receive their PSEP funding – they should continue to submit their monthly claim to EA for payment. No deductions have, or will be made, with regard to children who did not attend due to self-isolation prior to closure.

The Department expects providers to continue to pay their staff as normal.

Settings will be closed to children, but not to staff. Staff can continue to access premises/work from home should taking into account current government and PHA advice.

Providers will have already, and should continue to, make arrangements to help support children’s education remotely as much as possible. For example, by providing hard copy resources or making use of the internet.

Staff can continue to undertake online training/learning as normal.

All staff should continue to apply the latest Public Health Agency Advice.

Other services that are outside the remit of DE (eg private childcare) are not covered by the closure, and can continue at present, if the premises are available to them to do so.

+ Q. At the announcement of school closures by the Department of Education, how should pre-school playgroups, with funded and non-funded places, proceed?

• Guidance from the Department of Education guidance on funded preschools has been clear that all preschools are to close by Friday 20/03/20.

• While PSEP settings have been instructed to close, PSEP funded staff should continue to go to the setting and undertake work. Further communication from the Department will be released on Monday 23rd March.

• The Department expects providers to continue to pay their staff as normal.

• Settings will be closed to children, but not to staff. Staff can continue to access premises (taking into account PHA advice)

• Providers will have already, and should continue to, make arrangements to help support children’s education remotely as much as possible. For example, by providing hard copy resources or making use of the internet

• Staff can continue to undertake online training/learning as normal

• All staff should continue to apply the latest Public Health Agency Advice

• The online admissions process is still ongoing, and staff need to continue to review the online portal daily.

It has also been made clear that day cares and non-funded provision is not required to close at this stage and can remain open unless the Public Health Agency advises closure.

Early Years continues to actively engage with relevant Departments and agencies to seek clarity, guidance and support for day cares, non-funded playgroup and out of school provision and the wider sector in Northern Ireland beyond the closure-related information that has been provided thus far and will keep members updated as soon as we have clarity.

+ Q. What are the available business grants for community playgroups?

The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) NI released a statement announcing an immediate grant of £10,000 will be provided to all small businesses who are eligible for the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme. That is all businesses with a NAV up to £15,000.

Further business support can be sourced at: www.gov.uk

Registration is now open for businesses to apply for the £10,000 Small Business Grant Scheme

www.covid-19smallbusinessgrants.economy-ni.gov.uk

+ Q. How can we access 80% retention scheme for employees?

Groups will need to:

• designate affected employees as ‘furloughed workers,’ and notify your employees of this change - changing the status of employees remains subject to existing employment law and, depending on the employment contract, may be subject to negotiation.

• submit information to HMRC about the employees that have been furloughed and their earnings through a new online portal (HMRC will set out further details on the information required).

HMRC will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. HMRC are working urgently to set up a system for reimbursement. Existing systems are not set up to facilitate payments to employers.

Portal will be available from: www.gov.uk

+ Q. Will my pension be affected?

We have received queries about pension impact if a setting engages in business support schemes like the Government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

The government will be releasing an update on workplace pensions soon and we will monitor developments.

Pension providers vary and we recommend that all settings seek this information from their own provider, however for those settings in the NEST workplace pension scheme set up by the government they have provided the following update on their site with a commitment to keeping this up to date with new information as it emerges.

For more on this, see: www.nestpensions.org.uk

+ Q. What measures are available to support childcare providers and parents in the Republic of Ireland during COVID-19 closures?

Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) announced measures to support providers and parents during coronavirus related closures is included below:

These measures will:

• help to ensure that the Childcare Sector is in a position to reopen after COVID-19
• provide parents with a reassurance that they are not required to pay childcare fees during this COVID-19 crisis, while providing them with reassurance that they will maintain their childcare places
• give Early Learning and Care Educators security
• retain vital Early Learning and Care Educators in the sector.”

The measures are as follows:

• Revenue will reimburse childcare employers by 70% of their pre COVID-19 staff costs
• in addition, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will reimburse childcare employers by 30% of their pre COVID-19 staff costs
• the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will pay a retention top-up designed to retain staff in the sector
• the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will fund Childcare Providers with a proportion of staff costs during the closure period to assist with their ongoing costs where needed

These emergency measures will apply for up to 12 weeks and reflect the unique challenges and demands facing the sector.

They involve the re-purposing of funds already allocated to support the childcare sector.

Childcare Providers will be required to sign a new COVID-19 Emergency Agreement.

This will require providers to agree to a number of conditions that will include:

• not charging parents for childcare fees from this month onwards
• assure parents that their children’s places are as secure as they can be post COVID-19
• agree to ensure staff are paid at pre COVID-19 levels, with the benefit of the funding from Revenue and DCYA
• take active steps to reinstate their staff that have already been laid off on the same terms as above (with staff reinstated on pre COVID-19 terms and conditions)
• staff would use this time for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and other professional activities. Employers will use this time to catch up on administrative tasks and familiarise themselves further with the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and any other resources, including new resources which will be developed in the coming weeks
• give consent to Revenue to provide evidence of staff costs to allow the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to process payments to providers

State income is already in place for Childcare Providers until the end of this week. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs will roll out these measures as quickly as possible

The full DCYA press release is available below:

Minister Katherine Zappone announces measures to support Childcare Providers and Parents during COVID-19 closures

+ Q. What about preschool applications for 2020/21?

The online admissions process is still ongoing and staff need to continue to review the online portal on a daily basis. Advice on this process can be gained from the Education Authority.

+ Q. What is Early Years doing to support the sector?

Early Years continues to monitor the situation related to COVID-19 (coronavirus) and will keep our members informed via Early Years eNews channels.

We will also share statements from relevant authorities and bodies on our social media channels daily.

We are lobbying government on behalf of our sector for clarity, support both in the immediate uncertainty and in the short to medium term to mitigate negative impact. We are engaging at all levels of government and continue to maintain live contact with our membership on the ground to represent the real challenges faced by parents, settings and the wider early years family across communities.

We have created a direct email to support settings through this unprecedented period of uncertainty: CVA@early-years.org Any queries or comments that you have should continue to come through this designated channel.

Early Years has also included templates for all members that they may use for planning for their settings. This covers infection control, staffing, contingency planning and communication. Please note that these are templates only and should be adapted by settings to make it relevant for their local context. These are available from our online members’ area at www.early-years.org/members

Campaign launch - Join us in our #supportingfamilies #positivestories #inthistogether campaign

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we have received the utmost kindness from members, colleagues and families with positive feedback and support.

We are inviting all members to share their #positivestories, showing how we as a sector continue to support all our families and communities.

Share your stories on your social media using these three hashtags #supportingfamilies #positivestories #inthistogether. Tag us @earlyyearsorg in your post, that way we will get the notification you have posted a positive story and we will reshare.

Don’t forget to share each other’s #positivestories throughout the campaign.

If you don’t have social media channels, you certainly can still join in this campaign. Please send us your text and photographs to communications@early-years.org and we will share on your behalf.

+ Q. Is there clarity on Insurance Cover?

Settings should contact their individual insurance companies with reference to the specific area within their policy. Insurers and policies vary, however Early Years advises particular attention is paid to the following:

• What is covered, specifically COVID-19 as a notifiable disease?
• What amount of cover is in place? (e.g. upper limit)
• What criteria for claims exists? (e.g. Authority to close, instances of COVID-19 etc.)

+ Q. What is the update on the Early Years sector meeting?

In direct reflection of both relevant sectoral concerns received on the issue and the dynamic nature of developments in the area, a meeting regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus) was arranged at short notice for the evening of Thursday 12 March 2020 at the Early Years HQ building on behalf of Day Care Forum setting providers. Senior Early Years Operational Management representation also committed to be in attendance. Over 50 settings gathered at the Early Years HQ to discuss and plan coordinated activity as a result of the spread of the coronavirus.

At the meeting, while it was noted that individual settings will approach matters on an individual basis, there was widespread support for Early Years to engage with the relevant Government Departments to identify and recommend solutions to support the sector.

Further information and summary discussion points from the meeting were then shared with all members contactable by e-mail on Friday 13 March as part of regular member updates on this significant issue.

At the meeting and through regular member communications Early Years has committed to:

• Continuing to work with the sector to help inform policy and develop solutions that can support settings over this period of uncertainty.
• Continuing to engage with these departments over the incoming period and keep you briefed on any relevant changes.
• Continuing to act to support a joined-up approach between settings and government to support the sector through this period of uncertainty.

Associated activities have included:

• Issuing Business Continuity Plans for Members to review to support changes to working environments;

• Writing to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister outlining the importance of Early Years provision and the requirement for necessary action to ensure the long-term viability of the sector;

• Communicating with the Departments of Finance, Health, Communities and Education to explore options such as rates relief, continuity of statutory payments and also ratio profiles.

+ Q. How do I remain sustainable and do I still charge fees?

Sustainability is a vital concern for the sector during this period, and Early Years continues to advocate for support. The charging of fees is an issue for each individual setting.

Whilst Early Years does not set fee policy for settings, the following factors should be considered when approaching this issue:

• What are the essential costs that need to be covered during this time – what relief is available (business rates for example) or efficiencies could be made to aid sustainability?
• All parents and families will be in a unique situation as to their income and this should be taken into account.
• Insurance Coverage
• What government funding support for childcare will remain for parents to aid congoing payment?
• What contractual arrangement have you with parents?
• What length of time will the current arrangements be for – is there a phased approach to cost reduction/ need for income over time that will change sustainability calculations?

+ Q. What do we tell parents?

Each setting should continue to follow the guidance as released from:

Northern Ireland

COVID-19 (coronavirus) - Public Health Agency

Guidance for the general public, education settings and employers and businesses.

Coronavirus – Childcare Partnerships (NI)

Registered childcare - relationship with ‘Minimum Standards for Childminding and Day Care Under Age 12’ and policies and procedures; and making relevant contacts with HSC Trust Early Years Teams.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice – GOV.UK

UK wide level advice and guidance.

Republic of Ireland

COVID-19 (coronavirus) overview – HSE.ie

COVID-19 Guidance – HSPC

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

The best protection presently for children, families, members and staff from coronavirus remains to be by regular hand washing and good respiratory hygiene.

Handwashing tools and resources for childcare providers and parents – safefood

Early Years will continue to issue communication and provide updates as we receive them but it is vital that all settings are proactive in communication with parents during this time.

+ Q. Should we accept a child where a relative has been told to self-isolate?

Please visit www.gov.uk guidance for:

Households with possible coronavirus infection

+ Q. Should we accept a child whose siblings’ school has been closed for deep clean.

Please visit www.gov.uk guidance on:

Social distancing and for vulnerable people

+ Q. Children with a cough; what do we do?

Please follow guidance from the Education Minister on COVID-19 to educational settings

Key points:

• Children should be kept at home if they are unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature to avoid spreading infection to others. Otherwise they should attend as normal

• If staff, young people or children become unwell on a school or educational site with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature they should be sent home.

• Clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces more often than usual using your regular cleaning products.

• Supervise young children to ensure they wash their hands more often than usual for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or hand sanitiser and that they catch coughs and sneezes in tissues and then bin these tissues (this is our catch it, bin it, kill it approach).

+ Q. How should we speak to children about COVID-19?

As public conversations around COVID-19 increase, children may worry about themselves, their family, and friends getting ill with COVID-19.

We as childhood specialists and parents/carers, play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety or fear.

The Department of Education in the Republic of Ireland has published a resource providing advice for parents and education providers on how to talk to children and young people about Covid-19.

The advice has been developed with the aid of educational psychologists.

View news here

+ Q. What about staff absence and self-isolation?

We have been receiving increasing queries related to staff absence, self-isolation and Statutory Sick Pay. Settings will have their own employee-related policies covering these areas, however we have issued guidance documents for employers on managing staff absence from the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development) specifically related to Coronavirus. These are available on our Member’s Area on www.early-years.org.