Musical Minis is pleased to advise that following receipt of specific guidance received from the Department for Education and Public Health England, our classes have been given the go ahead to continue during Lockdown 2.

The Government advise is that there are still circumstances in which you are allowed to meet others from outside your household or support bubble in larger groups, but this should not be for socialising and only for permitted purposes.

The independent body that represents all early years providers, The Early Years Alliance, has sought clarification from the Government and they have advised as follows:

“Parent and child groups (including baby & toddler groups): The government has confirmed these groups can continue where they provide support to parents and/or children, and that children under 5 will not be counted within the 15 person limit.”

Musical Minis has spoken to the Department for Education directly to ensure that support includes the service specifically provided by Musical Minis. The Department for Education explained to us that Musical Minis was exactly the type of support the Government had in mind.

Previously Musical Minis has run parenting support groups on behalf of local authorities, confirming our status as a support group rather than a social group. Indeed, whilst we have previously delighted in carers socialising at our classes, we have always been focussed on delivering developmental outcomes and as such Musical Minis has been fully mapped to the Early Years Foundation Stage.

In summary, Musical Minis has been cleared by both Public Health England and the Department for Education to continue running face to face classes. We note that this needs to be limited to 15 people (excluding children under 5). We will continue to operate our strict Covid Health and Safety Policy to protect everyone who attends classes.

In some areas the halls from which we run classes are not operating during Lockdown 2 and in those circumstances we clearly cannot open. Your local franchisee will have kept you informed.

Keep safe.