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<p>During the COVID-19 outbreak, we have provided unprecedented support to the early
years sector by continuing to fund the free childcare entitlements, making grants
and loans available and ensuring early years providers can access the Coronavirus
Job Retention Scheme for their non-government funded income, and childminders the
Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.</p><p>While we recognise childcare attendance
has been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, we saw attendance rise over the autumn
term from 482,000 on 10 September 2020 to 792,000 on 10 December 2020. On 17 December
2020, the government therefore announced a return to funding early years settings
on the basis on attendance.</p><p>Under these arrangements, local authorities should
ensure that providers are not penalised for short-term absences of children (for example
sickness, arriving late or leaving early, or a family emergency) through withdrawing
funding but use their discretion where absence is recurring or for extended periods,
taking into account the reason for the absence and the impact on the provider.</p><p>The
national lockdown announced by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on 4 January
2021 means the number of children attending childcare will drop although early years
settings remain open for all.</p><p>We stay in regular contact with the early years
sector and have heard from them already on this subject. We publish regular official
statistics on attendance in early years settings, available here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak"
target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak</a>.
The next release is due on Tuesday 19 January 2021. We will be closely monitoring
both parental take-up of places and the capacity and responses of providers and will
keep under constant review whether further action is needed.</p><p> </p>
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