Children’s Commissioner
Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commission for England, called for teaching unions and the Government to work constructively together to get children back into education.
She gave evidence of the small number of Covid-19 cases resulting from nurseries currently open on hospital sites and said it was important to control that risk.
NDNA Chair gave the following comments to the press:
“There have been several commentaries and reports over the weekend both questioning and defending the wisdom of sending children back to nursery and school, including a report from the Children’s Commissioner for England.
“Following our meeting with scientific advisors on Friday, whose evidence is now published, we know there is no such thing as a zero risk scenario but it’s about minimising any risk and taking control of managing that risk.
“Lots of nurseries are already doing sterling work looking after around 76,000 vulnerable children and critical workers children since the lockdown – they are clear about how best to manage those risks in their own particular settings. According to the Children’s Commissioner’s own survey, three out of 57 hospital nurseries reported a confirmed case but none reported transmission within a nursery.
“We hope this will give confidence to parents. Nurseries and their practitioners will have to make their own judgements on whether or not to reopen and parents will also have to make that decision having discussed any concerns with their child’s nursery.