Under the new plans announced on Monday 6 April, councils will be able to use funding from the Welsh Government’s Childcare Offer to support registered childcare providers to care for pre-school-aged children of critical workers. Alongside health workers, education and key public services, Welsh Government rightly includes those involved in the  production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery of food within its definition of those critical to COVID-19 response. Children who are considered vulnerable will also be included in the scheme.

The changes will cover the next three months and provide care for children under five.

Wales’ existing childcare offer provides 30 hours of early education and childcare to the working parents of three and four-year olds across for 48 weeks of the year.

The existing offer will be suspended for three months and replaced with the coronavirus childcare assistance scheme to support critical workers and vulnerable children.