DfEE throws financial lifeline to childcarers in rural disease areas

Early years organisations have welcomed a Government move to offer financial aid to childcarers in rural parts of England affected by the foot and mouth epidemic. The Department for Education and Employment has written to all Early Years Develop-ment and Childcare Partnerships in England telling them to help providers affected by the crisis, following fears voiced by partnerships that some settings could go out of business because exclusion zones kept children and staff from attending.