Early years workers and childminders should be in line for testing and covid vaccination was the message from Steve Brine in a Commons debate.
The Winchester & Chandler's Ford MP, who chairs the All-Party Group on Children and Early Years, was speaking a special session on the impact of covid-19 on the sector.
He said; "Early years practitioners are bravely continuing to come into work, despite the current prevalence of the virus in society. In my opinion, they, along with other educators and critical workers, should be offered the vaccine as a priority in phase 2 of the roll-out. I made that point in this very Chamber yesterday, so I will not labour it again."
He also covered occupancy and demand in nurseries, which continue to be open during the lockdown, entitlement funding, self-isolation and its impact on the sector as well as repeating his call for a meaningful policy review of early years funding which he said was experiencing a form of "market failure."
In a previous debate, yesterday, Mr Brine said teachers and school support staff should be prioritised for the jab in the early part of the phase two roll-out.
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