Early years updates from the Department for Education
Changes to childminder testing process
Following feedback on the registration and uploading process since March, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS Test and Trace have been working to identify ways to make it easier for childminders to identify their profession when recording results on the NHS Covid-19 test results portal.
The changes are due to come into effect from 2 June and are designed to allow us to monitor more clearly the effectiveness of our testing programme and identify any areas or groups within the early years childcare system that are not engaging in testing, so we can identify potential barriers.
This means that childminders will need to follow the process in above link for each completed asymptomatic LFD rapid test.
If you have any questions about this change, please contact the Department for Education Coronavirus Helpdesk.
Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers 2021
Last week, several Local Authorities contacted us with questions about a telephone survey that some of you have been invited to complete by the Department for Education. We would like to confirm that this contact is part of the Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers 2021 and is a legitimate request that has been issued on behalf of the Department for Education. We commission an independent research contractor (NatCen) to carry out the survey fieldwork. This research is very important to the Department and providers’ participation would be extremely valuable, but is entirely voluntary.
When contacting school-based and group-based providers we do aim to limit calls to business hours unless an appointment outside of those times has been agreed, but we appreciate that this hasn’t always been the experience of some settings. If interviewers do call at a time that is not convenient for you, they are happy to call back at a time that suits you.