The number of employees in the voucher division has doubled since March to just over 100.
Busy Bees director John Woodward, who puts the company's share of the childcare voucher market at around 30 per cent, said, 'We think we could comfortably multiply the business five-fold in the next two years. It doesn't show any signs of diminishing growth.'
The childcare voucher business is booming, largely as a result of the 50 a week tax and national insurance exemptions introduced in April this year, with several new voucher schemes on the scene.
The Childcare Account, sister company of childcare consultancy Childcare Innovations Partnership, is offering a new 'virtual voucher' scheme going online later this month. It is aimed at attracting small and medium-sized companies with fewer than 1,500 employees.
It was set up with the support of electronic voucher company Care 4, which deals with larger employers and has an arrangement to refer smaller companies wanting to set up schemes to the Childcare Account.
Parents will be able to use the scheme to 'top up' their account with funds from bonuses, child benefit and tax credits.
Managing partner Jacqui Smith told Nursery World that the company was in discussions with the HM Revenue &Customs about future developments that would make use of the scheme easier for parents and offer more financial certainty for providers.
She said that in addition to the regular payments from the voucher scheme, this would ease sustainability problems for providers by ensuring that they are paid regularly and on time.
Voucher company Sodexho Pass has just launched Childcare Choice, a new website offering electronic and paper vouchers that also encourages smaller businesses to get involved.
The company claims the website enables employers to set up voucher schemes 'with the minimum of hassle'.
Childcare service manager Nancy Weeden said, 'It's a one-stop shop for childcare vouchers aimed at companies who may in the past have been put off from implementing schemes, believing them to be heavy on administration and time.'