Freedom Childcare Helps Businesses Create Work Life Balance for Businesses in Hampshire
Freedom Childcare, now a well-established organisation, is seeking to expand its area of expertise into the corporate sector. Already well recognised for its impeccable standards of service in the family and holiday maker environment, Freedom are now looking to assist companies of all sizes to maintain a healthy workforce and help their employees to achieve a better work life balance.
(PRWEB) March 2, 2007
Childcare is a very complex issue, with many options and decisions faced by sometimes new and inexperienced parents. This can feel overwhelming and initially rather daunting, as choosing the best combinations is a very important decision and crucial to the smooth running of life in general. As families get larger, parents separate, work schedules become increasingly more complex, all this can add to the stress of being a parent in the 21st century!
Indirectly this also becomes the employer's problem: school closure days, school holidays, decreased flexibility, decreased training attendance, less availability for extra working hours and extra curricular meetings.
The range of services we have developed can help even with the most complex childcare requirements. Our flexi nanny service is proving to be very popular, providing ad hoc nanny care 24/7 thus acting as a childcare insurance policy for busy families. Our trained childcare advisors can also provide information on Tax Credits and Employer Provided Childcare schemes, signposting to other organisations where appropriate.
Statistics
In 56% of families with children under school age, both parents now work and an amazing 73% of parents with school aged children both work. This percentage has increased by 10% in 10 years. Translating more parents are working, subsequently pushing up the percentage of employees with children. Interestingly the number of working parents is higher in the south than other parts of the country.
(Office for National Statistics. Labour Market Trends 2005)
Statistics aside, providing staff with a childcare package is good for company image and staff morale, as well as for all the afore mentioned practical and tangible benefits.
"Our spectrum of services and our flexible approach enables us to help organisations of all sizes. By becoming a Corporate Member, employees will benefit from the following services: a free phone helpline, subsidised hourly rates, subsidised Sure Start registration, free Freedom registration, half price membership, childcare training, access to a parents forum, access to our children's download pages and be able to sell unwanted childcare items online. The costs are very reasonable and based on the number of employees. We have helped the NHS tackle their recruitment and retention issues and are now looking to roll out this model to other organisations."
"The south is also unique in that many parents, when they first relocate, are faced with no family or network of friends, I found myself in this very situation when I first relocated. Coming from a large extended family, where childcare was never an issue, I was suddenly faced with the fact that 'childcare' now started and ended with me! This is why I set up the company in the first instance and it is very gratifying helping families in similar situations."
Now families can benefit from being able to claim back the cost of childcare in their own home. This can be through salary sacrifice vouchers or Tax Credits. Home based childcare is now a viable option for families from all financial backgrounds.
If you are either an individual looking for childcare or a company looking for a Human Resources solution, we would very much like to hear from you. enquiries @ freedomchildcare. com www. freedomchildcare. com 01983 299222
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