The Fife council service provides parents and carers who are strugglingto access training, family support and community events with freehigh-quality childcare for children aged six weeks to 12 years.
The creche is working with the council's community learning anddevelopment service to help hard-to-reach and disadvantaged families whootherwise would not be able to afford childcare.
Karen Lister, creche co-ordinator, said, 'Lack of childcare can be areal barrier for parents trying to get back into work and can make itvery difficult for them to undertake any kind of course.
'We work with other council services and community partners to set upand run creches where these courses are taking place, so parents canrelax knowing their children are being taken care of right nextdoor.'
Creches are provided mainly for one-off events such as conferences andtraining or short courses.
They are registered to operate from 9am to 11pm Monday to Sunday. Theservice on average provides 30 creches a week in over ten differentlocations across Fife.
Organisers who take on the service must provide a suitable room withinthe building where the event is taking place.
A risk assessment and health and safety checks are then carried out byFife council to confirm the suitability and size of the room. Thisdetermines the number of children who can be cared for and how manystaff are required.
Toys and equipment for the children are provided by the council as partof the service.
Since the council took over the mobile creche two years ago the servicehas expanded and it now has 40 casual childcare staff and a contractedsenior creche worker as well as the creche co-ordinator.