Council extends offer of childcare places

The council has extended an offer of childcare places in the isles for next week, in light of news that schools and nurseries are to remain closed.

A limited number of childcare places are being made available to parents or carers serving as frontline staff in order to protect essential services.

The authority says the offer is for people who have exhausted all other childcare options.

It classes frontline staff as:

• Health Care

• Social Care Workers

• Emergency Services

• Any other service which is classed as essential work as defined by Emergency Planning.

Children’s Services will provide childcare through the following providers.

• Hame Fae Hame

• Peerie Foxes

• Isles Haven Nursery (three-five year olds)

• Islesburgh Out of School Club (five years and over)

Other providers may also be asked to support.

The council says additional support will be provided for any child who needs it, irrespective of their choice of setting.

Anyone interested in using the service is being invited to email early learning and childcare for an emergency registration form.

Forms should be returned by 11am on Friday and parents will be informed of the outcome of their request by the close of business that day.

Any parents who have already registered for the childcare this week do not need to register again – but they will be contacted to ask for confirmation of their childcare needs.