Lockdown rules: What is a childcare bubble and can grandparents help?

England has entered lockdown for the second time

(Getty Images)

England has once again entered into a national lockdown to combat the rising number of coronavirus infections around the country.

Boris Johnson has said that lockdown, which began on Thursday 5 November, will last until Wednesday 2 December, after which, the government will look to return to a regional approach by re-enforcing the tier system that has been in place for the last few weeks.

However, the end of the nationwide lockdown is dependent on what the data on Covid-19 indicates at the time.

The lockdown means that non-essential shops have been forced to close along with gyms, restaurants and pubs from midnight on Wednesday 4 November.

Additionally, people are required to stay at home except for specific purposes, such as buying essential items, going to school or college, and getting childcare.

Unlike the first lockdown in March, there are allowances this time around to facilitate childcare for parents. Here’s everything you need to know.

Can I access childcare in lockdown?

Childcare is one of the limited reasons for which people are allowed to leave their homes. 

Parents can access some registered childcare and other childcare activities where it is “reasonably necessary to enable parents to work”, the government website states.

Additionally, early years settings can remain open.

Some youth services may be able to continue, such as one-to-one youth work and support groups, the government site adds, but most youth clubs and groups will need to cease for this period.

Can I form a support bubble with another household to facilitate childcare?

Yes, parents can form a childcare bubble with another household for the purposes of informal childcare where the child is 13 or under, the government states.

This is not the same as forming a support bubble, which allows a single-person household to meet and socialise with another household of any size.

This system is intended to avoid single adult-households from becoming isolated, or parents with joint custody not being able to split time with their children.

What is a childcare bubble?

According to the government: "A childcare bubble is where someone in one household provides informal (unpaid and unregistered) childcare to a child aged 13 or under in another household."

This might be a relative or a close friend and parents can only form one childcare bubble. In otherwords, the bubble must always be between the same two households.

This means that, if you enlist the help of grandparents, it must be the same set of grandparents who cares for your child each time.

The rule has been brought in to support parents who might not be able to find adequate childcare within their household.