Term-time places tempt working parents

Sunflower Children's Centre in Gleadless is offering the term-time-only service for parents looking for more flexible childcare. So far, a quarter of the nursery's 64 places have been taken on a term-time basis.

Nursery head Karen Simpkin said the places were popular with parents who worked in education. She said, 'There are hundreds of mums and dads who want to spend the holidays at home with their kids, without facing the financial penalties associated with keeping a childcare place open.

'As work patterns shift, nurseries need to respond to the need for flexible care. I believe there is huge potential in tailoring provision to specific industry sectors.'

Although fewer children attend Sunflower Children's Centre during the holidays, the nursery has not experienced financial or staffing problems because it also runs a 16-place holiday club.

The National Day Nurseries Association said that it knew of other nurseries offering term-time-only places, as well as some that close on Mondays or Fridays when there is less demand.

NDNA chief executive Purnima Tanuku said, 'The concept of daycare being full-time, five days a week isn't necessarily the case any more. With widespread flexible and part-time working, nurseries are meeting the demands of parents in a variety of ways.

'Term-time-only daycare is a creative way of meeting the needs of modern working parents and could work well for the nursery, so long as staffing issues and pay during holidays are carefully addressed and allowed for.

Sustainability is a key factor in the success of flexible daycare.'