The nursery group, which now operates six nurseries, says it is keen to use this experience to pursue other opportunities for workplace nurseries in the North West of England.
Staff at UHSM have a special discounted daily rate as per an agreement between the hospital and nursery, but it is also open to the general public. The limited remaining places are being allocated on a first come first served basis, with priority being given to transfers for children already at a Kids Allowed setting.
Since the takeover on 1 September, the setting has been transformed with redecoration and new provisions. A core team of 11 colleagues has transferred over from existing Kids Allowed settings in order to smooth the transition.
Adding this new setting has also created a number of internal promotions both at existing sites and at the new location, which is an important part of retaining quality staff and helping them meet their career aspirations.
Jennie Johnson CEO of Kids Allowed said, ‘We are delighted with the smooth transition from NHS nursery to Kids Allowed nursery. The parents and children have been very supportive and are commenting very positively on the investment they have already seen in transforming the provision for the children.’
Some of the exciting changes brought in by Kids Allowed so far, include self-serving routines during meal times to encourage independence, and the provision of personalised blankets for each child.
Janet Wilkinson, director of human resources, organisational development and education at UHSM NHS Foundation Trust, said, ‘We feel it is important to offer onsite childcare provision to support recruitment and retention of our staff in a more flexible way. We know that our staff have very demanding shift patterns and it is something that as a Trust we can do to help our staff maintain their work/life balance.’
This acquisition is the latest development in the group’s plans for expansion, including the scheduled opening of a new larger setting next year, which will provide 180 additional childcare places.