Childminders in England can now order rapid lateral flow COVID-19 tests for home delivery

The Department of Health and Social Care have updated their guidance in relation to the list of people who are eligible to access regular rapid lateral flow COVID-19 tests to now include 'anyone who works in an occupation related to a childcare provider, school, nursery or college, and their household, childcare and support bubbles'.

Childminders, nannies, wraparound childcare staff and nursery workers are now eligible to be able to order tests for home delivery.
 

This is welcome news to many childminders and early years workers in private, voluntary and independent nurseries who had previously felt left out and forgotten.

Childcare.co.uk have been campaigning for all early years workers to have access to rapid testing for many months and wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in early January 2021 requesting access to rapid tests and priority vaccinations for the early years sector to which we did not receive any reply.

Richard Conway, CEO & Founder of Childcare.co.uk said:

"We are grateful to the government for finally enabling childminders and other early years workers to have access to rapid lateral flow tests but it clearly should not have taken so long for this to happen.

"Childcare.co.uk still believe that early years workers and teachers should also be given priority vaccinations, after the most vulnerable have been vaccinated, and we will continue to make the case for priority vaccinations on behalf of the early years and education sectors."