If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education or childcare provision.
For the avoidance of doubt, the provision is only available to pupils who have no parents or guardians in the household due to working in a critical sector, and only when that parent or guardian are required to attend their place of work during the school or working day.
It is essential that if you can work from home you do so, and that your child remains at home for the school or working day.
What is an ‘on-island essential worker’?
An essential worker is someone whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response. These workers are essential to maintaining the healthcare system, as well as other critical functions in the Isle of Man. The full list of on-island essential workers is below.
What happens if I'm an on-island essential worker?
If you are an essential worker, you may continue to work as normal, although your employer will likely implement special arrangements for your work. Even if you are an essential worker you should be aware of social distancing guidelines and face covering requirements for travel to and from work and in the workplace.
The main purpose of essential worker status is to prioritise childcare. If you are an essential worker, and you absolutely cannot keep your child at home (e.g. being cared for by a partner who is not a key worker), then you are able to send your child to an appropriate education setting. Contact your child’s normal education setting to find out about what is available.
If you are an essential Manx resident Government worker, and are living with somebody who is classed as a high risk contact, you may be eligible for the Manx Resident Essential Worker Fast Track Back to Work Procedure.
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Health and social care |
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This includes but is not limited to doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the Island’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributers of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment. |
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Education and childcare |
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This includes childcare, support and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active during the COVID-19 response to deliver this approach. |
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Key public services |
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This includes those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting. |
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Local and national government |
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This only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response, or delivering essential public services, such as the payment of benefits, including in government agencies and arm’s length bodies. |
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Food and other necessary goods |
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This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines). |
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Public safety and national security |
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This includes police and support staff, contractor and (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic), fire and rescue service employees (including support staff), those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff. |
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Transport |
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This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass. |
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Utilities and communication |
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This includes staff needed for essential services including the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response (including manufacturing and engineering), as well as key staff working in the telecommunications sector (including but not limited to network operations, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, and waste disposal sectors. |
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Miscellaneous services |
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This includes those that are required for essential commercial cleaning staff who are deployed in any of the working areas of the categories listed above in order to allow them to function. |
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General guidance |
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If workers think they fall within the critical categories above, they should confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service. |