Closing schools is an important part of the emergency response. However essential workers who have exhausted all other childcare options, emergency childcare will be provided.
Critical key worker roles are those defined in the categories below and they are essential to ensure lifeline health care and community services can be delivered.
Scottish Government Guidance is as follows: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus—school-and-elc-closures-guidance-on-critical-childcare-provision-for-key-workers/
The work Businesses and Public Sector is undertaking – providing essential lifeline services to our most vulnerable and working with the NHS to protect citizens means it is necessary that our skilled and committed workforce continue help us to fulfil our responsibilities as a category 1 responder to this national emergency.
All of those identified below are considered key workers in Dumfries and Galloway, the categories listed below do not give an indicate priority or precedence.
Category 1
Health and social care workers directly supporting the coronavirus response or life-threatening emergency work. Energy suppliers and staff providing childcare or learning for other category one staff are also included.
Category 2
All other health, social work and care workers, and wider public sector workers providing critical and emergency welfare services. This includes workers in the fire, police and prison services.
Category 3
All workers without whom there could be a significant impact on Scotland but where the response to coronavirus, or the ability to perform essential tasks to keep the country running, would not be severely compromised.
- Food / Drink Processing Key Workers
- Food Retail and Distribution Key Workers
- Fuel Distribution / Fuel Stations Key Workers
- Pharmacy Key Workers
- Registered Social Landlord Critical Staff
- Farming Sector Key Workers
- Fishing Industry Key Workers
- Water and Telecomms Utilities Critical Staff
- Local Infrastructure Key Workers e.g. Galloway Hydro / Industrial sites
- Veterinary / Animal Health Key Workers
- Agricultural Suppliers
- Garages – unplanned vehicle repairs
- Trades – emergency repair response
- Waste Collection / processing – public & private sector
- Voluntary / 3rd Sector Lifeline Services
- Postal Delivery & Distribution Services
- Vehicle Emergency & Recovery Companies – AA / RAC / Green Flag etc
- Essential Media Staff
- Transport Infrastructure Maintenance Key Workers
- Public Transport Sector Key Workers (Road / Rail / Sea / Air)
- Security Companies – Emergency Response
- DG Facilities Operations Staff (Cleaning, Catering and Janitorial)
- Manufacture of health care related products
- Financial services (banks, insurance etc) key workers
- Agricultural engineers
- Undertakers, crematoria staff in private sector
If one parent is a key worker and the other is not, the non-key worker should normally be expected to provide childcare. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be. If this is not possible, please contact us by emailing [email protected] to discuss your individual circumstances
It is vital that childcare being offered in our school sites in the coming weeks is aimed to support key workers who need to access that support so that they can carry out their critical front-line jobs
It is vital that we keep numbers attending our school sites to a minimum so that we help to reduce social contact as much as possible to try to minimise the risk of wider infection. Staff at school sites will continue to follow NHS guidance about reducing the risk of infection and good hygiene practices.
While we appreciate the challenges faced by families and employers, this key worker service is not available for parents who are working from home, for children who are self-isolating or who are displaying any symptoms.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should any child who has symptoms of coronavirus, or who lives in a household where someone has symptoms, present at a school. The whole family must follow the NHS self-isolation advice.
If you can make other childcare arrangements you should do so.
When you arrive at the centre you will be required to register your child.
