Swindon council confirms details of 30-hour pilot

The council has linked up with Great Western Hospital to offer the places to up to 415 three- and four-year-old children of families where at least one parent is working at the hospital.

Childcare will be available from participating nurseries, pre-schools and childminders during the week and in some cases at weekends.

As spaces are limited, all parents must meet the eligibility criteria for the 30 hours (ie. earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Living wage and not earn more than £100,00 a year each), and live in Swindon and agree to childcare being provided in Swindon.

Councillor Fionuala Foley, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said, ‘I am delighted that we can offer Great Western Hospital staff living in the Borough this flexible childcare opportunity and I am sure it will be of great benefit to them and the local community.

‘We think that our innovative approach to this pilot scheme will help ease the difficulties that juggling work and childcare commitments can bring to families and I look forward to it being in place locally later in the year.’

Oonagh Fitzgerald, director of human resources, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said, ‘Working in healthcare is a fantastic and rewarding career but often one that’s not nine-to-five, which can make finding suitable childcare difficult for our staff.

‘We are extremely grateful to have been offered this amazing support by Swindon Borough Council, which I know will come as a great help to so many of our staff, as well as people thinking of joining our teams at the Great Western Hospital, with young families.’