More than half the children in Ceredigion have returned to school with further support and childcare available over the summer holidays.

County council leader Cllr Ellen ap Gwynn said today that 55 per cent of pupils had gone back to school to ‘check in and catch up’ with friends and teachers.

Ceredigion Council Chief Executive told the council cabinet meeting that 20 per cent of teachers had a Covid-19 antibody test before a return to school.

Cllr Ellen ap Gwynn said: “By now it’s clear that there’s going to be care available for our vulnerable children over the holidays and free meals for the key workers as has been happening during the term,” she added.

Cabinet were also told that there will be play opportunities and care for under fives funded by the Welsh Government through the summer.

With children returning to school there is expected to be an increase in the numbers of safeguarding reports, with the number of referrals having dropped in the first part of lockdown as schools were one of the main sources of disclosures.

The new director of social services Sian Howys said the referrals had been at the usual level recently but “we need to look at what will happen in this three-week period that the children are back in school and share what has happened at home”.

She assured members of cabinet that the social care team had maintained contact with vulnerable children and although visits had been more difficult they had continued throughout lockdown.

Extra funding for care homes was highlighted and the council will continue to work with Hywel Dda health board as it prepares for a second Covid-19 outbreak in the autumn.

Field hospitals will remain in two council leisure centres – Cardigan and Plascrug – while Ysgol Penweddig will be ready for pupils in September.

Those returning this month are being taught at Aberystwyth University’s campus, Cllr Gwynn told the meeting.

“We need to keep our eye on the situation,” said Cllr ap Gwynn, adding: “I’m glad to say that all our residents and staff in the care homes have all been tested and all come back negative.”

Much work had been done to keep these residents safe and no one is discharged from hospital straight into a permanent care home, she said.

* A previous version of this story stated that Cllr ap Gwynn said that all teachers had had an antibody test before a return to school.

Cllr ap Gwynn’s statement was corrected during the meeting by Eifion Evans, Chief Executive, who stated that approximately 20 per cent of staff who had worked at the Childcare Hubs had been offered antibody tests.

Teachers were not asked to work in the Childcare Hubs so that they could concentrate on providing distance learning opportunities. The staff that worked in the childcare hubs consisted mainly of county council staff and complemented by teaching assistants. In line with our protocol, any member of staff, including teaching staff who show any coronavirus symptoms are advised to stay at home for seven days and will be referred to take a COVID-19 test.

We are happy to set the record straight.