Perth and Kinross Council has further widened its provision of childcare during the COVID-19 outbreak.
It is now open to key workers whose partners work in food production, agriculture, postal and delivery services or in the agriculture/food haulage sectors.
Perth and Kinross Council has announced residents can apply for places if they cannot care for their children at home.
The full list of eligible key workers includes: NHS Tayside staff; health and social care staff; GPs and associated staff; Perth and Kinross Council and partner organisations staff providing Children’s Activity Centre function; energy providers - eligible staff will have been given a letter identifying them as key workers; social work staff; Police Scotland staff; Scottish Fire and Rescue Service staff; Scottish Ambulance Service staff; Scottish Prison Service staff; burial and cremations staff; military staff involved in COVID-19 work; pharmacy staff and refuse collection staff.
PKC’s executive director of education and children’s services, Sheena Devlin, said: “In line with national guidance, we would prefer children to stay at home wherever possible.
“But we will provide care, at one of the children’s activity centres or through partner providers, for key workers where necessary.
“Expanding the range of eligible workers will mean an increasing number of children being looked after, however we will maintain arrangements where they are looked after in small groups in order to minimise the spread of coronavirus.”
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Perth and Kinross currently has five Children’s Activity Centres which are open seven days a week and during the current Easter break.
They are located at North Inch Campus; Kinross Primary School; Community School of Auchterarder; Newhill Campus, Blairgowrie and Invergowrie Primary School.
The council has said it will monitor the needs for childcare and adapt to ensure there is “sufficient supply.” More may be required depending on the identified needs of families.
PKC has said partner provider nurseries and registered childminders will be providing childcare over the coming weeks.
Only children who have been offered places can attend.
