Coronavirus daily round-up: Tuesday 1 December
Derren Hayes
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Early years leader lauds rise in standards of childcare providers despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Each day, CYP Now will summarise the key issues affecting the children and families sector as it tackles the effects of the pandemic. The daily update signposts children’s services practitioners and leaders to the latest developments, expert views, advice and resources.
Pandemic threat to childcare providers
The chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has praised the “incredible and dedicated work” of early years providers after Ofsted’s latest annual report showed the number of settings rated “good” or “outstanding” had risen to their highest level.
Purnima Tanuku said it is “really encouraging” to see 98 per cent of nurseries judged good or outstanding but warned that the sector needed more government support to maintain provision in the face of the challenges posed by the pandemic.
“We are so proud to represent the early years sector who are achieving these results despite battling so many tough challenges,” said Tanuku.
“Nurseries have been coping with low, inadequate funding rates for years and need real, meaningful rises in their hourly rate to deal with the full impact of Covid-19. The small rise in investment announced last week [in the Spending Review] will not even cover the increase in wages from April, let alone enable them to support the most vulnerable children.
“Quality of provision comes from the knowledge and experience of practitioners but the sector is experiencing a staffing crisis, with nurseries largely unable to benefit from the continued furlough scheme. Many nurseries are having to close rooms due to staff absence with positive cases, resulting in lower parental income to cover soaring costs. The sector desperately needs support now more than ever to remain sustainable so they can continue to deliver the high quality care that parents expect and children need.”
Study highlights extent of child poverty rise
Almost 700,000 people in the UK, including 120,000 children, have been plunged into poverty as a result of the Covid economic crisis, according to a think-tank analysis.
The Legatum Institute study shows the pandemic has pushed the total number of people in the UK living in poverty to more than 15 million – 23 per cent of the population – and an additional 700,000 people had been prevented from falling below the breadline by the chancellor’s temporary £20-a-week boost to universal credit.
The institute uses poverty measures developed by the independent Social Metrics Commission.
The Conservative peer Philippa Stroud, the institute’s chief executive, said the findings showed a “clear need for a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy to be placed at the heart of the UK’s Covid recovery response”.
Mass testing of university students begins
Universities have begun mass Covid testing of students to enable them to go home safely for the Christmas break.
Universities are opening temporary testing centres where hundreds of thousands of students will be checked for Covid this week before they leave.
Students have been asked to take two tests, three days apart. If they test negative, many will leave university in the "travel window" starting from 3 December.
But testing is voluntary and it will not be available in all universities.
