Member Article

Tees Valley and North Yorkshire childcare hubs offer lifeline to key workers as COVID crisis continues

More than 50 designated key workers in Tees Valley and North Yorkshire have been able to go to work, safe in the knowledge that their children are being cared for by leading childcare professionals, thanks to a local nursery provider.

Rosedene has been praised by many essential staff for providing funded and non-funded places for children up to 11 years old throughout the coronavirus crisis . Rosedene, which operates across the Tees Valley & North Yorkshire, created four specialist hubs in each Local Authority area in which they operate and located close to key medical sites for those still required to attend work, including local NHS staff.

In addition to full day nursery facilities, the four hubs have offered 24-hour availability for OFSTED registered care from caring, professional staff, in order to cater for those working night shifts.

Since the lockdown was announced on 23 March, there has been a surge of key workers contacting Rosedene to apply for places, due to the closure of schools and many other nursery facilities in the area.

Employees from James Cook Hospital, North Tees Hospital and Northallerton Hospital have praised Rosedene for being available round the clock to offer care when they are called into work.

Alice McCullagh, director of Rosedene, said: “Since we opened the four hubs, our nursery teams have received messages and gifts from our key worker parents who are so grateful that they could rely on us when they needed us most. We are glad to be able to take a little bit of pressure off those who are keeping the region going during such a difficult time.

“It’s humbling to have received such praise from key workers in all walks of life, however also much deserved as our teams in nursery have gone above and beyond to support our parents. We felt it was our duty to support our families and just happy that we have been able to play our role in the battle against the crisis.

“We are now focused on the future and already have plans in place to help children and families as the government lock down measures start to ease and more people start to go back to work.”

Hayley Almond, a foundation doctor at James Cook University Hospital, said: “As a key worker, I absolutely have to make sure my children are cared for when I’m at work. The nursery of my two youngest children closed at the last minute, so Rosedene came to our rescue and I was able to move them to the nursery just next to the hospital.

“Knowing that my children are going to such an amazing facility as Rosedene just makes me feel very reassured and relaxed when I go to work. I know they’re both very happy and well cared for.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by News Gathering .