Tuesday 12 May

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement this week of plans to ease some of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England, we at Variety are aware that families of vulnerable children will be concerned to understand how the revised restrictions apply to them. People who are caring for disabled children and those with life-limiting conditions will be rightly worried that by gradually loosening the restrictions, there will be an expectation on them to return to work when this continues to present a significant risk to their family, and the guidance provided does not currently address their potentially complex living and work circumstances. Variety urges the government to provide much clearer guidance on how those people who are shielding, in particular those who have vulnerable children at home, are supposed to continue to protect the people they care for in the light of the proposed plan for lifting restrictions.

We will continue to monitor updates to the guidance and share information with parents and carers of the children we support when it is available.