Piteå bans healthy siblings from daycare and after-school care when parents care for sick child

Piteå municipality in Norrbotten, Sweden, has introduced new rules prohibiting parents who are home caring for a sick child from leaving healthy siblings at both preschool and after-school care. The municipality is reportedly the first in Norrbotten to implement such strict regulations. The rules have drawn criticism from some parents, who question the requirement to transport a sick child to pick up a healthy sibling or argue it is better for the healthy child's development to attend preschool. However, the preschool chief, Bo Åström, stated the move aims to reduce the spread of illness and sick leave among staff and children, citing issues with staff illnesses and a lack of substitutes. According to the Swedish National Agency for Education, there is no specific regulation in school legislation regarding sick siblings, and it is reportedly unclear if such a routine is compatible with the right to preschool until the matter is legally tested. No other municipality in Norrbotten reportedly has rules as strict as Piteå's.