Schools to open for childcare purposes

Schools across Orkney will open tomorrow morning, Thursday, January 7, to provide childcare for the children of key workers and vulnerable children.

A spokesman for Orkney Islands Council said: “Childcare places have been automatically reserved for children whose key worker parents were offered childcare places during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

“New applications from parents who haven’t previously applied for key worker childcare, but now require it because alternative arrangements are not available to them, have been assessed.

“Most parents who have applied for childcare will have received a response from their child’s school by 5pm this afternoon, Wednesday. If not, parents are advised to contact the school first thing tomorrow morning.

“Later this week, schools will be contacting parents whose children will be learning from home from Monday, January 11 , with information about the plans that are being put in place for this.”

Further details are available here.