Plan ahead for ECE closures
Centres may feel impact as Omicron cases increase
The Ministry of Education is urging parents to plan ahead as early childhood centres face temporary closure due to the spread of Covid-19. Ministry of Education’s hautu¯ (leader) operations and integration/ Te Pae Aronui, Sean Teddy said with Covid case numbers predicted to rise, an increase in close contacts required to self-isolate would impact ECE services.
This would include centres needing to close temporarily for the safety and wellbeing of children and staff.
“We know that one service in Hawke’s Bay is closed for seven days.”
Hawke’s Bay Today understands that ECE service closed last week and is Lollipops, in Port Ahuriri.
Others are likely to follow suit as Omicron spreads.
“Each ECE service will have their own plan that best meets the needs of all their children and staff under the Covid Protection Framework with their top priority being safety and wellbeing.
“We encourage parents to plan ahead and consider what other care arrangements they may be able to put in place if their childcare service has to close temporarily.”
In Hawke’s Bay 6734 of the eligible 5 to 11-year-old population is partially vaccinated according to the Ministry of Health. That’s 37.9 per cent of the 17,749 eligible population.
Teddy said it was “worthwhile” parents talking with their service to see what support it may be able to offer, if it needed to close temporarily.
“The Close Contact Exemption Scheme will be helpful in supporting ECE services to manage Covid-related staffing issues which may otherwise contribute to a service needing to close temporarily.”
He said the ministry’s regional education offices were available to support ECE services at all phases and Covid Protection Framework settings.
“ECE services are doing a great job providing up to date health information and assurance to their parent communities and staff that everything that needs to be done is being done and their safety and wellbeing is the top priority.”
He added that all licensed early learning services were eligible for ECE operational funding subsidies.
“If public health officials direct an early childhood service to close for the safety and wellbeing of their children and staff or a service cannot open due to staff having to self-isolate, Emergency Closure ECE operational funding for licensed early learning services may apply while we are in the Covid-19 Protection Framework.”
Earlier this week the Early Childhood Council’s CEO Simon Laube said the lack of access to rapid antigen tests (RATs) meant mass closures were imminent.
“Smaller centres only need one or two teachers to be positive and they’ll have to close for long periods,” he said.
“If more tests were available, regular ‘surveillance testing’ of all teachers and children would be more effective, but seems unlikely given limited supplies.
“New Zealanders’ high vaccination rates have given the Government time to get this right.
“I hope they use it to expand testing using RATs.
“I’m impressed with the Ministry of Business, Employment and Innovation’s scheme that allows early learning centres to keep operating where they educate and care for the children of critical service workers.”
He said the ECC encouraged the Government to “redouble” their efforts to source more RATs supply “well before” winter months arrived.