Busy Bees in Chandlers Ford is launching a Community Support Scheme, giving free childcare respite to children and families within the local community.

The Nursery will be offering 100 hours of free childcare over a 10 week period to vulnerable and hard to reach children and families.  The free childcare sessions will be offered to children in need of care and families in need of support based on referrals from healthcare professionals.  The Nursery Manager will be working closely with local healthcare professionals to determine which families will most benefit from the respite childcare.

The nursery will provide leaflets to health visitors for families referred on the scheme, which provide information on their local nursery and the Community Support Scheme.  Families referred to the scheme will be facing issues such as metal health problems, post natal depression, physical disabilities and safeguarding concerns, as well as children with specific individual needs such as speech and language development and illnesses.

Tanya Alborough, Nursery Manager, said: “We see this scheme as a great opportunity to offer support to local families and health workers. The scheme aims to work closely with local health visitors and professionals to offer respite care to vulnerable children, as Busy Bees believes that all children are entitled to quality care and should be nurtured in the best possible environment.”