This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Rejected petition Provide a timeline for when baby and toddler groups and classes can reopen
As the UK reopens following the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic there is been no mention of baby and toddler groups and classes.
For parental mental health alone, these groups need to reopen, with clear guidance on how they can do so safely.
More details
Baby and toddler groups are essential for parental mental health, as well as being educational for children, helping them develop social skills.
In these groups parents can meet other parents to help them manage a completely different way of life. Making friends who can commiserate with you when things are tough is one way that parents get through the first few years. It's very lonely being a new parent without social support.
We need a timeline for when parents can get together again safely.
This petition was rejected
Why was this petition rejected?
We can't publish petitions when the request is something that's already happening or something that has been announced since you started your petition.
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The Government has said that from 20 July early years providers can return to their usual practice without limiting group sizes. You can read the Government's guidance on what parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges in the autumn term here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-in-the-autumn-term#children-returning-to-nurseries-childminders-and-other-early-years-providers
How providers of these classes reopen is a matter for individual providers, and not the Government or House of Commons.
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Government has also created an online service to help you find out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Find out more: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/192/the-governments-response-to-coronavirus/
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.