Around 50 hubs to look after primary age children of key workers in Liverpool will open on Monday 23 March.

It follows the Government’s decision to close schools later today until further notice, as part of the response to coronavirus.

The strategically located school sites are only for primary age pupils whose parents are key workers and have no other safe childcare available to them, and will initially be open from 9am until 4pm.

Parents of primary school children who are eligible are asked to take their child to the nearest site which is convenient for them on Monday, where there will be staff available to receive them.

There will be no provision for secondary school pupils, but secondary schools are identifying vulnerable children and will be proactively contacting those parents directly to see if they need any support.

The city’s five nursery schools – Abercromby Nursery School, Chatham Place Nursery School, East Prescot Road Nursery, Ellergreen Nursery School and Everton Nursery School – are remaining open and will accept children of key workers who have no other available childcare.

Some specials will be open – Palmerston School, Princes Primary School, Hope School, Sandfield Park School, Woolton High School, Redbridge, Milstead, Abbotts Lea and Bank View – and will be in touch with parents regarding their capacity to support children.

Who is eligible?

The list of key workers is:

• Social workers, care workers, health and social care staff and those required to maintain the sector
• Teachers, specialist education professionals and nursery staff
• Staff essential to the operation of the justice system
• Staff involved in the management of the deceased
• Administrative staff in local government essential to the delivery of the COVID-19 response
• Staff delivering essential public services such as payment of benefits
• Staff involved in the distribution of food or other key goods
• Police and police support staff
• Fire and rescue staff and support staff
• Transport workers
• Utilities workers
• Probation staff
• IT staff necessary to support COVID-19 response
• Payment providers
• Waste disposal service presumably including refuse collection

In addition, other workers described include:

• Armed forces personnel
• MoD civilian staff and contractors
• National Crime Agency
• Border security
• National security staff
• Religions and charity staff
• Journalists and broadcasters

Parents working in these sectors may be asked to provide proof from their employer that they are eligible.