In Canada, Veronika Tkach, owner of Princess Parties Toronto, also says she was not able to get any financial support from her government. She says she was “left high and dry” because she was considered a gig worker, or contractor. This meant that she didn’t qualify for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit Scheme.

Mr Chincarini says these examples show that the industry is unfortunately “not taken seriously because it’s about kids”. He adds: “But we are an important part of the investment that we put into our kids for the future.”

Even if firms have been able to access state financial support, such as in the UK and Australia, they say they have not had enough guidance from governments who more often don’t see them as forming a specific sector of the economy.

As a result they claim they have struggled to get answers to key questions, such as when they can reopen, the number of children they can have per class, how far apart children must be kept, and how any toys or sports equipment should be sanitised.

“The guidance from the UK government has been an absolute farce,” says Mr Bernstein. “It was late and very badly written, and not there to help the providers.”