Coronavirus daily round-up: Tuesday 19 May
Fiona Simpson
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Early years leaders have criticised the government after providers were missed out of plans for emergency funding offered to schools to cover the cost of the coronavirus pandemic.
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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.
Childcare providers criticise lack of government support
Early years leaders have hit out over a lack of financial support for providers preparing to reopen on 1 June.
The backlash comes after the government pledged between £25,000 and £75,000 for schools to cover the cost of the pandemic but did not offer the same to nurseries.
In a letter sent to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and children’s minister Vicky Ford, the Early Years Alliance (EYA) has called for the government to end the “unfair” treatment of early years providers.
“Financial support for the steps childcare providers need to take to keep their settings safe - such as additional cleaning and the purchase of PPE – is likely to be critical at a time when one in four providers fear closure in the next 12 months,” the EYA said.
‘Urgent steps’ needed to tackle mental health crisis in young people
A group of more than 30 leading charities, professional bodies and unions have written to the Prime Minister, calling for the government to take urgent steps to reduce the impact of Covid-19 on children and young people’s mental health.
The letter warns that the pandemic is affecting many young people in ways that risk long-term consequences for their mental health, and calls on the government to launch a recovery plan, including five measures to improve support for children and young people.
Previous research by YoungMinds shows that 83 per cent of young people with mental health needs believe that their mental health has deteriorated as a result of the pandemic, and that two-thirds of parents are concerned that the crisis will have a long-term impact on their child’s mental health.
Thousands back teen’s call for free school meals over May half-term
More than 16,000 people have signed a petition started by a 16-year-old girl urging the government to provide free school meals over the May half-term.
Christina Adane started a Change.org petition calling on Boris Johnson to provide meal vouchers over the week-break.
Although free school meals are usually only available during term time, the Covid-19 pandemic has left other provisions which support young people during school holidays, like youth clubs, unavailable, she says.
Adane said: “I started this campaign because I have seen the impact of free school meals, so I know they are the difference between whether many young people eat or not.
“Now we’re told they will be taken away during the school holidays and thousands have already signed my petition in response. I hope this shows the Prime Minister that these are a lifeline and that he won’t abandon children across the UK by taking away free school meals.”
Young people ‘most likely’ to lose jobs due to pandemic
Young people are most likely to have lost their jobs or seen a drop in income because of Covid-19, a new report suggests.
More than one in three 18 to 24-year-olds has suffered a drop in income during lockdown, research by the Resolution Foundation shows.
The research comes as new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows unemployment figures went up by 856,500 to 2.097 million in April.
Separate ONS figures showed UK unemployment rose by 50,000 to 1.35 million in the three months to March.
Government pledges £37m for families of SEND children
Children’s minister Vicky Ford has pledged £37m to support families of children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Families with children that have complex needs and disabilities will receive grants for vital equipment to make their lives easier while implementing social distancing measures, including computers, specialist equipment and educational toys, the Department for Education has said.
Some £10 million of the total has been ringfenced for families facing further difficulties caused by the coronavirus crisis.
