The Government has published its list of key workers whose children can attend school next week if childcare is needed for them.

From Monday, parents are asked to keep their children home from school if at all possible, to limit the spread of Coronavirus.

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The move is part of the national response to the outbreak which includes self-isolation for the elderly and vulnerable, and social distancing for all residents.

Schools remain safe places for children, but by reducing the number of pupils travelling to and from education, it lowers the risk of transmitting the virus to more vulnerable members of society.

However the Government also needs to enable workers to carry out important public duties to tackle the pandemic. R

It also recognises the need to protect the most vulnerable children in society.

Therefore schools will provide childcare for children whose parents are classed as ‘key workers’ as well as children with safeguarding or social care needs.

Read more: Age Concern’s Coronavirus  helpline is there to support older people in need

Workers are asked to check with their employer whether their role is required for the continuation of the public service they require.

Key workers include, but are not limited to:

Health and social care

Doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributers of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.

Education and childcare

Nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active during the COVID-19 response to deliver this approach.

Key public services

Those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.

Local and national government

Administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response or delivering essential public services such as the payment of benefits, including in government agencies and arms length bodies.

Food and other necessary goods

Those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines).

Public safety and national security

Police and support staff, Ministry of Defence civilians, contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic), fire and rescue service employees (including support staff), National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas.

Transport

Those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.

Utilities, communication and financial services

Staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response, as well as key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.

For more information about school closures visit the Gov.uk website.