Chloe and her partner were both shift workers in the hospitality sector, working in busy venues, at unsociable hours and with lots of travel.
Chloe went back to her job after their daughter was born but managing childcare, long hours and travelling to Perth from Dundee each day was becoming challenging.
Chloe started to look for other jobs and found a position at NHS24 as Cancer Treatment Call Handler. Although the new job was closer to home she was still working on a shift pattern and she soon realised that her and her family couldn’t manage without childcare.
Chloe started to look at local childcare options and soon realised that full days were not only expensive but not always necessary.
Chloe explains,
“It would have been hard to work in my current job and look after Lola, her dad works in the pub trade so he has late starts and late finishes; we might have been able to do it… but even then, I would have had to rely on family a lot which would have been stressful for me.”
Luckily a friend recommended Flexible Childcare’s Fintry Mains Childcare & Community Hub. The setting offers parents a flexible, book by the hour childcare model that helps parents to reduce their childcare costs while removing childcare as a barrier to work. This model also helps parents to enter or return to education or employment so that they can increase their earning potential and further distance themselves and their families from poverty.
According to Chloe,
“I choose them as my childcare provider as I heard good things about the nursery from other parents. The flex also helps as well with my shifts and her dad’s shifts. Everyone was very welcoming and they have lots of open spaces for children as well.
“The team are very supportive with Lola’s development needs and I’ve noticed how quickly she has come along since starting there. Things such as her speech, behaviour and toilet training have really improved. This has made me feel less alone with bringing my daughter up and I feel fully supported by the team as they are very encouraging.”
Fintry Mains offers much more than just childcare, thanks to partnerships with Dundee Bairns and Fareshare they redistribute food and essential household items to families who need them most, and not just to families who use the setting, the whole community. They also host clothing and costume swaps and events aimed at children from their community.
Chloe says,
“I would absolutely recommend this childcare provider to anyone. They are outstanding. Lola now receives funding and I didn’t move her to council nursery as I feel she is coming along so well there and she gets excited to go in when she’s booked in. I had full intentions of keeping her there because I was so happy with the service.
“Any parents that have shift work like myself and Lola’s dad I would suggest this service as it does help a lot and doesn’t cost and arm and leg to do it. It’s very helpful and easy for booking in to as well.”
