Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice about childcare

Access to childcare is currently (since 29 June 2020) available to any parent who needs it.

Formal childcare

If you need access to formal childcare:

  • check the Family Support NI website for information on available spaces 
  • if you cannot find a suitable option please call Parentline on: 0808 8020 400

Informal childcare

Informal childcare is valuable, trusted care provided by grandparents and close family. It is not to be confused with unregistered childcare, which is provided by those who are not formally registered but who charge a fee for their services. 

It is the commercial aspect of unregistered provision that distinguishes it from informal childcare. Operating as a childcare provider for reward without being registered with the local Health and Social Care Trust constitutes unregistered childcare and is not permitted under the Children (NI) Order 1995.

The restrictions introduced across Northern Ireland on 22 September 2020 permit both formal and informal childcare.

Other sources of support

Parents should continue to check the Family Support NI website for up-to-date information about childcare.

Employers For Childcare Family Benefits Advice Service has free, confidential and impartial advice setting out your best options for financial support, and what is the best choice for your family depending on your specific circumstances. You can contact an advisor by freephone or email as follows:

COVID-19 advice

As a parent you will be anxious to know that your child will be safe and it is important to highlight that childcare settings remain safe places for children. 

The Department of Health continues to issue infection prevention and control guidance to all childcare providers. This guidance covers issues such as:

  • the need for group childcare providers (for exampe, daycare) to care for children in separate, consistently constituted groups
  • the need for effective ventilation and the use of outdoor space where possible
  • PPE
  • Testing, Tracking and Tracing
  • dealing with children who display COVID-19 symptoms 
  • self-isolation in the event that any child or staff member tests COVID-19 positive

All of this guidance is available on the Family Support NI website.

It is vitally important that your childcare provider is informed if you, your child or any other family member has tested positive for COVID-19.

    More useful links

    More in this section

    Share this page


    What do you want to do?
    What is your question about?
    Do you want a reply?
    Your email address
    To reply to you, we need your email address
    Your feedback

    We will not reply to your feedback.  Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

    This feedback form is for issues with the nidirect website only.

    You can use it to report a problem or suggest an improvement to a webpage.

    If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly as we don’t have access to information about you held by government departments.

    You must be aged 13 years or older - if you’re younger, ask someone with parental responsibility to send the feedback for you.

    The nidirect privacy notice applies to any information you send on this feedback form.

    Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

    Plain text only, 750 characters maximum.
    Plain text only, 750 characters maximum.

    What to do next

    Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

    What to do next

    If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

    Carer's Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912
    Email     dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

    Call 0800 587 2750 
    Email     customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

    Disability Living Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912 
    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Employment and Support Allowance

    Call 0800 587 1377

    Jobseeker’s Allowance

    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    What to do next

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

    What to do next

    Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

    What to do next

    For queries about:

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    What to do next

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about rates, email:
    rating@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about property valuation, email:
    valuation@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about land registry, email:
    CustomerInformation.LandRegistration@finance-ni.gov.uk

    For mapping queries, email:
    Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk

    What to do next

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.