Nursery World - All BBC workplace nurseries due for phased closures

The BBC is closing down its workplace nurseries in a move towards providing staff with childcare vouchers instead. The corporation has seven on-site nurseries providing 217 childcare places around the country. An internal review found that up to 3,000 employees required childcare.

The corporation has seven on-site nurseries providing 217 childcare places around the country. An internal review found that up to 3,000 employees required childcare.

Universally available childcare vouchers are seen as the 'fairest alternative' to limited spaces, a BBC spokesperson said, adding that the corporation would work to get discounted space for its employees with local providers.

The first two nurseries due to close in late 2007 are the Bristol-based setting run by the BBC and the Buffer Bear nursery at Elstree studios in Hertfordshire.

London nurseries at Macklin Street, run by the Childcare Enterprise, and Woodlands, run by the BBC, will close in 2008, while the sites at Caversham, run by Chiltern College, and Cardiff, run by Acorns Nurseries, are scheduled to shut down in 2009 and 2010. Richford Street Day Nursery in London, run by Bringing Up Baby, will remain open but operate on a wholly commercial basis.

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