PART 1Introductory
Linked childcare households5
1
For the purposes of these Regulations, a “linked childcare household” means a household that is linked with another household for the purposes of informal childcare in accordance with this regulation.
2
Where a household includes at least one child aged 13 or under (“the first household”), that household may link with one other household (“the second household”) for the purpose of the second household providing informal childcare to the child aged 13 or under in the first household if—
a
all persons who would be members of the linked childcare households in accordance with this regulation agree (subject to paragraph (5)), and
b
neither the first household nor the second household are linked with any other household for that purpose in accordance with this regulation or with any other regulations made under Part 2A of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.
3
The first household and the second household are “linked childcare households” in relation to each other.
4
The first household and the second household cease to be linked childcare households—
a
if neither household includes a child aged 13 or under, or
b
at any time when all members of one or both of the households agree to cease to be linked with the other (subject to paragraph (5)).
5
Where—
a
a person who would be, or is, a member of a linked childcare household is a child, and
b
a person who has parental responsibility for the child (“P”) is a member of the child’s household,
the agreement required by paragraph (2)(a) or (5)(b) is to be given by P (and not the child).
6
If a linked childcare household (household A) ceases to be linked with another linked childcare household (household B), household A may choose to be linked with another household under this regulation after the expiry of the minimum period.
7
For the purposes of paragraph (6) the “minimum period” means the period of 14 days beginning with the day on which any member of household A last participated in a gathering with a member of household B in reliance on being a linked childcare household.
8
In these Regulations, “informal childcare” means any form of care for a child aged 13 or under provided by anybody other than a person providing childcare in their role as a person registered to provide childcare under Part 3 of the Childcare Act 2006, including—
a
education provided for a child aged 13 or under, and
b
supervised activities for a child aged 13 or under.