Nursery World - What does the coronavirus mean for the early years workforce?

The early years sector is facing a time of great uncertainty, says Josh Cottell

Josh Cottell, senior researcher, Education Policy Institute

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, most early years settings will remain open for vulnerable children and those of key workers, but will be operating at significantly reduced capacity.

For many early years workers, this is a time of deep uncertainty. Exactly how many children continue to attend will vary depending on local needs. An early indication on the number of children attending schools since the closures suggests that occupancy is about 20 per cent of what it is usually. This means that many, if not most, staff in many early years settings may face being furloughed, where they are paid 80 per cent of their salary, up to a maximum of £2,500 a month.

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