Preparing for Brexit

Early years funded entitlements

We’ll communicate any relevant updates directly to funded childcare providers; however at this time we are expecting the early years entitlements to stay the same.

Employing people from the EU

You’ll need to continue to:

• check job applicants’ right to work after Brexit.
• carry out appropriate vetting and criminal record checks for overseas applicants.

You can also check whether someone has settled or pre-settled status but you are not required to do this until 1 January 2021.

Let staff who are citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland know that they’ll need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 2020. Deal or no deal, they will have until at least 31 December 2020 to apply.

You may wish to refer any staff, parents or carers making an application to the support and resources available.

Anyone who’s applied to the EU Settlement Scheme can view and prove their settled or pre-settled status online, although they will not be required to do so until at least January 2021.

Irish citizens’ right to live in the UK will not change after Brexit. This means they do not need to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme, but they can if they want to.

Temporary leave to remain

If there’s a no-deal Brexit, let staff know that they can apply for European temporary leave to remain if they:

• are from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, and
• arrive in the UK after a no-deal Brexit and before 1 January 2021

They’ll need to apply by 31 December 2020.

European professional qualifications

Tell staff with professional qualifications from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland that have been recognised by a UK regulator, that they can continue to work as they do now.

Early Years Funding places

You cannot ask for or use nationality or immigration status when deciding which children can access a funded place.

You should continue to offer funded places to citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland who are in the UK after Brexit.
UK citizens living abroad returning to the UK and Irish citizens are still entitled to take up a funded childcare place.

Contact your food supplier before Brexit

Ask your food supplier whether:

• they’ll need to change meals or ingredients
• their secondary suppliers are prepared

Avoiding allergens if you change meals or ingredients

Check that you are:

• following the guidance on managing food allergies in schools
• following the allergen guidance for caterers
• use the Food Standard Agency’s allergens template to help identify allergens if you adapt your menus
• reading labels and product information for any new foods you use
• aware of which children in your setting have allergies and can identify these children
• still meeting nutritional standards and special dietary requirements

Medicines and medical products

Continue supporting your children’s health needs as normal and let staff and parents know that there’s guidance on getting medicines in a no-deal Brexit.

Review how you collect, use and share personal data

Check and update your data protection procedures so you can still receive and share personal data after Brexit.