Coronavirus: Ofsted suspends inspections amid outbreak

The decision comes following the first of the government’s daily press briefings on the developing Covid-19 outbreak.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised members of the public to avoid travel, limit unnecessary interaction with other people and work from home where possible.

However, schools will remain open for the time being, he said.

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Ofsted's chief inspector Amanda Spielman said: “I’m grateful for the Secretary of State’s permission to suspend routine inspections. It’s clearly the right thing to do when teachers and social workers are under pressure as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. We all need to support them in their work. 

“We will monitor what’s happening across education and social care and we will reserve the right to inspect where we believe the safety of children could be at risk, or we have other serious concerns. We will also continue to register and regulate social care providers, childminders and nurseries, so that these vital services can continue to support children and their families.”

Ofsted added that "urgent inspections where specific concerns have been raised can still go ahead".

It comes after education and early years leaders called on the inspectorate to halt inspections in a bid to minimise the spread of infection and reduce pressure on staff, head teachers and those running early years provision.

The Early Years Alliance has welcomed the move with Neil Leitch, chief executive, saying: "Providers are having to adapt to extraordinary circumstances and now is clearly not the best time to judge them on the quality of their provision.

"What's more, given the latest government guidance, asking unnecessary external visitors to enter settings is not appropriate. 

"We trust that Ofsted will keep the sector updated on any further changes going forward."

Early Years

Meanwhile, the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) and the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (Pacey) have joined forces on behalf of the sector to urge the Chancellor to provide financial support for struggling providers amid the outbreak.

Calls have also been made for a childcare taskforce to be set up to provide clarity and advice to providers in the event settings are advised to close.

The calls come after Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported around 20,000 crèche and childcare workers had lost their jobs in the Republic of Ireland. 

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the NDNA, said: “Early years providers are crucial to local economies and ensuring children get the best possible start in life. Our members are working round the clock to ensure their settings are safe and healthy environments so they can stay open for working families.”

Liz Bayram, chief executive of Pacey, added: “We need government to act urgently to reassure settings that they will provide them with the necessary financial support to ensure, once this outbreak is over, that they can continue to provide the early education that children need and the childcare that working parents rely on. Providers need certainty on funding and support to overcome loss of business now. If government continues to delay, it will be the death knell for many providers who traditionally operate on very low incomes and with tight cashflows.”

Schools

Schools are currently still open and the Department for Education has issued specific advice to education settings, despite urging members of the public to avoid social contact and large gatherings where possible.

Teachers’ unions previously called on the government to justify the reason behind schools remaining open and have called for schools in “at least some areas” to be closed.

In a letter to Johnson, Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries at the National Education Union (NEU) state: “Given the number of staff and pupils that will now be off school, teachers and leaders will simply have to exercise their professional discretion about whether schools and colleges open and what work is undertaken – and they should do so with your approval.”

They have also advised members to be deemed more at risk from coronavirus, including pregnant women, people over 70 and those with underlying health conditions, who have been advised by the government to stay at home for 12 weeks, to follow this advice.

Bousted and Courtney also called on plans to be put in place in the event of full school closures to support the NHS and healthcare staff with childcare, support children in need of care and those who receive free school meals.

Social care

Children’s social care providers have also called for specific government advice for looked-after children and care leavers.

Children’s commissioner for England Anne Longfield has written to the government for “reassurance that councils are preparing for shortages of staff in children’s homes and among foster carers as more people become unwell”. 

'Please know that we are here for you' - a message from our ceo @KatharineSJ #care #COVID2019 #youarenotalone pic.twitter.com/jEwVEwlhsR

— Become (@Become1992) March 17, 2020

She said: “Social workers will also become unwell, meaning the hundreds of thousands of children who are not in care but who rely on social workers, family workers and others for help may not get the support they need.

“The spotlight has been on older teenage children in care, living in semi-independent accommodation over recent months – those children will be as vulnerable now as they were before, with the added concerns about coronavirus. It is important they are kept informed and supported by local authorities.”

It is important that @educationgovuk work with @LGAChildren & @ADCStweets to issue guidance on how support will be offered to the care system. Foster, adoptive, kinship & residential families need to know that the state is set up to support them even when working remotely https://t.co/5v78zTm8PV

— TACT Foster & Adopt (@TACTCare) March 17, 2020

Andy Elvin, director of Tact Fostering and Adoption, wrote on Twitter: “It is important that the Department for Education work with the Local Government Authority and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services to issue guidance on how support will be offered to the care system. Foster, adoptive, kinship and residential families need to know that the state is set up to support them even when working remotely.”

The Department for Education has set up an advice line (0800 046 8687) for enquiries related to education and children’s social care.

One of my members that runs several children's homes has told me they're getting excellent advice and support to prepare for all sorts of eventualities, including from engaging directly with DfE: pic.twitter.com/mvaLmqUZPZ

— Kathy Evans 🕷 (@Kathy_CEO_CE) March 17, 2020