As of Tuesday 24 March 2020, will the Minister provide a list of Welsh councils that are not currently providing/accepting provision in local authority schools for children whose parents work in the food production key worker sector?
Guidance was published by the Welsh Government on 20 March.
The guidance identifies those people involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods as critical to the COVID-19 response. However, every child who can be safely cared for at home should be and only where there is no safe alternative should provision be made in schools or other settings
We have been clear on our expectation that local authorities should reflect that guidance in their provision, recognising it would take a short time to adjust the contingency plans they had put in place.
It is very likely that local authorities planned arrangements will evolve as they respond to the new guidance and update the plans they put in place as an initial contingency. We will of course continue to work very closely with them on that.