Free child care for frontline workers

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will be expanding its childcare assistance programme to provide free child care to frontline workers who are providing an essential service or key public services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Hon. Dr. Vindhya Persaud, during a virtual press conference on Monday, revealed that assistance will be available to the frontline workers in the both private and public sectors.

Dr. Persaud noted that in the first phase, the programme will be piloted to benefit healthcare workers, police officers, prison officers, fire service officers, security officers and army officers, with children who are below the age of 7.

Through the programme, the ministry will make direct payment for services to childcare facilities.

Minister Persaud was emphatic that the “direct payment will only be made to licensed childcare facilities.”

Further, Minister Persaud highlighted how those workers mentioned can access this service.

“Forms will be sent to the employers of all of these essential workers and will be available on the Ministry web-page, which will be up very shortly,” Dr. Persaud explained.

Minister Persaud said the ministry will review the programme with a view of expanding it to other categories of workers before the end of the year.

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has been partnering with the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and other Government agencies to offer COVID-19 relief packages to the public on a need’s basis.