Childminders are now able to do twice-weekly asymptomatic testing from home. Here’s what you need to know

Childminders now have more options for accessing asymptomatic twice-weekly testing.

Have childminders always been eligible for asymptomatic testing? What’s changed?

Childminders, as critical workers, have been eligible to access asymptomatic testing at their local community testing site. Now, childminders have more options for accessing asymptomatic twice-weekly testing. For example, they can now collect tests for home testing from a nearby collection site or order test kits to be delivered.

Why is this important?

The expansion of the asymptomatic testing programme to include all childminders is based on this Government’s recognition of the important role that all early years staff across the country have played in keeping settings open throughout the pandemic.

Ensuring young children can access the care, support and social interaction they need during these critical early years is crucial to their development.

This is why early years settings have remained open to all children throughout the recent national lockdown.

Is it mandatory?

No, but we encourage everyone that is eligible for testing to participate. About a third of individuals with coronavirus show no symptoms and are potentially spreading it without knowing. Targeted, regular testing will mean more positive cases are found helping to keep households safe. Regular testing for those without symptoms is a critical tool to safeguard the population and stop the spread of the virus as sections of society are opened up. 

What about childminders’ families – can they get tests too?

Yes. Those in households, childcare or support bubbles of childminders or anyone who works in an occupation related to a nursery, early years childcare provider, school or college can also access twice weekly testing via the asymptomatic testing expansion.

How do childminders get their tests?

Childminders can access asymptomatic testing by:

• Attending a test site where they will be able to see how to take the test or pick up tests to do at home. Find your nearest test site via the postcode checker www.gov.uk/find-covid-19-lateral-flow-test-site or check your local council website.
• Collecting tests to do at home. Find your nearest collection site  COVID Test Finder (test-and-trace.nhs.uk)
• Ordering testing kits online. More information can be found on www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests.

Further information on childminder testing is available here.