Petition · past parliament

Provide a timeline for when baby and toddler groups and classes can reopen

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

As the UK reopens following the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic there is been no mention of baby and toddler groups and classes.

For parental mental health alone, these groups need to reopen, with clear guidance on how they can do so safely.
Baby and toddler groups are essential for parental mental health, as well as being educational for children, helping them develop social skills.

In these groups parents can meet other parents to help them manage a completely different way of life. Making friends who can commiserate with you when things are tough is one way that parents get through the first few years. It's very lonely being a new parent without social support.

We need a timeline for when parents can get together again safely.

Why it was rejected

The UK Government or Parliament was already taking the action it asked for.

The Government has said that from 20 July early years providers can return to their usual practice without limiting group sizes. You can read the Government's guidance on what parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges in the autumn term here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-in-the-autumn-term#children-returning-to-nurseries-childminders-and-other-early-years-providers

How providers of these classes reopen is a matter for individual providers, and not the Government or House of Commons.

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:

www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

The Government has also created an online service to help you find out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support

You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips

You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/

You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Find out more: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/192/the-governments-response-to-coronavirus/

Timeline

16 Jul 2020 Petition opened for signatures
22 Jul 2020 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21
Status Rejected
Rejected 22 Jul 2020

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.