Coronavirus daily round-up: Tuesday 2 June

• 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.

Nurseries ‘to operate at a loss’ for months

Nearly three-quarters of nurseries in England that reopened this week after the Covid-19 lockdown are expecting to run at a loss until September, latest research by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has found.

The poll showed that demand for places will not be as high as before the crisis with nurseries planning for an average of just over a third of their usual numbers of children coming back straight away.

Nurseries have implemented a range of new measures including risk assessments, keeping children and staff to small groups inside settings, new infection control measures and dividing up spaces to allow children to play and learn freely within their smaller groups.

In addition to 71 per cent of respondents expecting to operate at a loss, a further 23 per cent said they would break even.

Over 80 per cent of respondents were planning to re-open from 1 June but 14 per cent said they planned to open at a later date. Without further support, four per cent feared permanent closure.

The findings echo research by the Early Years Alliance which found low demand for childcare for the rest of the year could threaten the viability of the whole sector.

• Low demand for childcare puts sector's future at risk as lockdown lifts

Fears of gang violence increase after lockdown, youth workers warn

County line gangs have adapted to Covid-19, changing locations and grooming new recruits, a report by the National Youth Agency (NYA) suggests.

The new report includes insight from frontline youth workers on their increased concerns for street-gangs and organised criminal gangs in light of the closure of many diversionary projects and specialist services to help young people exit gangs safely. Meanwhile, the report outlines youth workers’ concerns about how online activity is stoking gang violence and fears for an increase in gang activity and child criminal exploitation post-lockdown.

“More young people are in potentially unsafe environment with little or no contact and limited access to support services during lockdown,” said Leigh Middleton, NYA chief executive. “Just at the time when they are needed the most, many youth work projects stopped or become severely restricted due to COVID-19. Now is the time for more youth work, not less.”

• Youth services must be part of lockdown exit strategy, urges NYA

Funding for organisations tackling youth unemployment

Key infrastructure organisations supporting frontline youth groups and those tackling youth unemployment can bid for funding from the Youth Future’s Foundation.

The Foundation has created resilience grants to build the sector’s capacity amid a fall in funding due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Funding is available for national infrastructure bodies that strengthen the youth and/or employment sector across England for all young people and national or regional infrastructure bodies that strengthen the youth and/or employment sector specifically for young people from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, including those of Gypsy, Roma & Traveller Heritage.

To receive funding by the end of July, applications should be made by 18 June; the deadline for the second round is 31 July. 

• Youth unemployment: government must pledge £1bn to tackle crisis, experts warn

Teenage Cancer Trust criticises change to shielding guidance

The Teenage Cancer Trust has criticised the government for its handling of updated guidance for people shielding from coronavirus. 

Over the weekend, advice for two million people most vulnerable to the virus, including cancer patients, changed by stating that they were now able to leave their homes as part of the easing of lockdown measures.

However, many scientists and clinicians have warned the government measures go too far and Trust chief executive Kate Collins says the rapid shift in advice is confusing and unsettling, particularly for young people trying to manage their cancer.

Collins said: “For thousands of young people with cancer, the relaxation of shielding restrictions will feel like a cloud has lifted – being able to go outside, exercise and interact with family or a friend will hugely benefit their mental and physical health. However, for others, this sudden shift in government advice will be extremely unsettling.

“Communication around the updated guidance was extremely poor and confusing. We want to ensure all young people are safe and feel confident about what this new guidance means for them”.

If you are shielding you are advised to stay at home but you can:

• leave your home if you wish, providing you can stay 2m apart from others (socially distance)

• leave home to spend time outside with members of your household or one person from another if you live alone (ideally same person each time) and stay 2m apart

• continue to receive a weekly food parcel and other government provided support

Bloomberg funds university application scheme for low-income teens

New York billionaire and former presidential candidate, Mike Bloomberg, has responded to the Covid-19 crisis by funding a platform to help thousands of low income teenagers apply for university next year.

The platform, Sutton Trust Online, aims to help 6,000 disadvantaged students in the UK navigate university applications amid the global pandemic.

The platform will provide academic content, advice and guidance on applications and student finance, plus an insight into what university life is like. The students will come from all over the UK and meet certain social mobility criteria, including free school meals.