Nursery World Awards 15: Initiatives - Online and social media

Its new look website and use of multiple social media channels makes it easy for parents to find information about Kiddi Caru, its settings and what their child has been up to while in its care, as well as communicate with the nursery group.

Since revamping its website at the beginning of the year to make it responsive to electronic devices after recognising a shift towards mobile browsing, Kiddi Caru has seen an increase in traffic, as well as a rise of 58 per cent in the number of new website enquiries, based upon figures up to March.

Other new features to the site include an ‘easy to use’ Find a Nursery function on the homepage and an option to request a call back from a setting or book a visit. There is a nursery news section and social network buttons which, if clicked on, send users to Kiddi Caru’s social media pages.

To attract new staff to the group, the website has a function that allows potential candidates to register their details, which according to Kiddi Caru is proving to be very popular.

For current parents and staff, there is a secure login area, accessed via the homepage. The secure login area, which is protected in the same way as online banking using SSL Certificate enabled encryption, allows parents and staff to have a two-way conversation and view photos of children taking part in activities. There are plans to continue to develop this section of the website.

The nursery group also successfully engages with current and prospective parents through its social media accounts, which it says are fantastic platforms for communication.
Kiddi Caru uses Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

The nursery group has 2,673 likes on Facebook and 332 followers on Twitter. It uses social media to share pictures of its children taking part in activities and events, nursery news and promote settings to new families. Kiddi Caru also has a dedicated Facebook page for careers.

In February, it launched a YouTube channel, which links to its website. The channel currently features three videos demonstrating cooking, French and Sing and Sign sessions within its nurseries.

Kiddi Caru plans to add further videos to its channel that enable parents to try activities at home with their children. The nursery group says the YouTube videos give parents a ‘real time snapshot’ of what happens in their nurseries.

Highly Commended

Child’s Play Private Nursery,
Ferryhill, County Durham

The e-portal system on the nursery’s website means parents are more involved and informed about their child’s progress and development.

By logging in with their username and password, parents can read observations made by nursery staff about their child, comment on their progress and upload their own images from a mobile device or computer wherever they are.

Child’s Play’s website also boasts numerous other features aimed at engaging parents and families, including a feedback form and advice sheets, and it actively uses Facebook.

Finalists

Acorn Childcare
Dizzy Ducks Day Nurseries
London Early Years Foundation (LEYF)

Criterion
Open to early years providers (nurseries, schools, pre-schools and childminders) whose websites and use of social media are informative, accessible and innovative

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