For many parents, there’s nothing more anxiety-inducing than trusting a complete stranger to care for your child when you return to work.
It’s a huge leap of faith. And when parents do find that safe space – whether a nursery, childminder or nanny – the people who care for your children quickly become like your second family.
They care for your children when they’re sick, they teach your kids good values and some will watch lovingly as your tiny offspring take their first steps. Your children will see these people day in day out. So when that childcare is taken away – sometimes overnight – it can be genuinely heartbreaking for all involved.
This is the reality many families are facing. The overall number of childcare providers in England has faced a staggering decline in recent times, dropping by around 4,000 between March 2021 and March 2022, according to figures from Ofsted.
