Elgin parents left scrambling for alternative Moray childcare ahead of closure of Rainbow Castle Childcare near Moray Leisure Centre
Parents in Elgin have been left scrambling for alternative childcare ahead of a nursery’s impending closure.
It was announced earlier this month that Rainbow Castle Childcare, based on the grounds of Moray Leisure Centre, will shut its doors for good on June 27.
The decision was made after attempts to hire a new manager for the facility failed.
Parents were alerted to the ongoing recruitment problem in April and were asked to plan for alternative nursery provision for the 2025/26 term starting in August.
Moray Council also said it would reallocate childcare spaces at other nurseries after it was confirmed that Rainbow Castle would close.
But despite the forewarning, many parents are still looking for suitable nursery places for their soon-to-be displaced children.
Ashleigh Geddes, who worked at the nursery previously for over seven years and whose son currently goes there, set up a petition in an attempt to save it. It amassed over 300 signatures but ultimately failed in its goal.
Ms Geddes says Moray Leisure Centre and Rainbow Castle helped support her and her family through the “toughest” time of their lives after her daughter was born prematurely in 2023.
She says she is “gutted” that her daughter, now two years old, won’t be able to attend the facility.
Ms Geddes said: “I’ve been so upset and had sleepless nights before and after the news.
“I'll forever be grateful for everything that they've all done and continue to do for us and all the children and families that attend Rainbow Castle.
“I understand the reasons for the closure, but it still doesn't make it easy for anyone involved.
“I'm really struggling to get my daughter Lilly into a 2-3 group as she's due to start in August and given her needs of having severe hearing loss in both ears she needs to be supported more.
“I feel like Rainbow Castle was let down by a lot of things. The lack of support from Moray Council, Care Commission, lack of communication from all sides but ultimately it all comes down to money which is really sad and the main people who are affected are the children, staff and families.
“Moray has a high demand for childcare and with facilities closing like Rainbow Castle, all it’s doing is putting pressure on other childcare facilities.”
While most parents are now searching for alternative childcare, some say the closure is having an emotional impact on their children.
Karen Adams, a mother of three, says her son Murray “absolutely loved” the nursery and its staff.
“You can see the total depression on his face,” she said.
“I think his transition up to nursery won’t be as easy now. He knew the girls at the nursery and knew a lot of the kids. They’ve all been split up because of this.
“I know a lot of parents are really anxious though because they haven’t got spaces elsewhere yet.
“None of us had any complaints about the nursery. We all love it.
“I feel really let down by Moray Leisure Centre as although they said they were trying to fill the position, more effort was being put in by the parents to try and keep it open.”
Tracey Cook, whose son has additional needs, credited the staff for their exceptional care and efforts in supporting him.
She said: “He was non-verbal and has development delay but the girls did everything they could think of to communicate with him and involve him in activities.
“It’s such a shame that it has come to this. It just means upsetting the kids that are settled.
“Other nurseries are going to be at full capacity and a lot of parents are going to struggle for childcare through the summer holidays now.”
Other parents have shared similar concerns. Charlene Shanks said her son now faces being relocated to a nursery “where he doesn’t know anyone”.
Caera MacDonald, whose daughter is on the autism pathway and pre-verbal, added: “She loves attending nursery and getting her wee school bag ready every day.
“She’s going to be absolutely heartbroken.”
The upcoming closure is also having an impact beyond just early-years education.
Eilidh Park, a full-time working mother, is among parents at the nursery who relied on Rainbow Castle’s play scheme during school holidays.
“This will be a big loss for me as it’s already a struggle to get childcare,” she said.
“It really is going to be a big loss for everyone.”
Louise Parkington says the closure is “unfair” on her daughter who will now have to “start over”.
She added: “It’s a big world out there for a three-year-old, and I just hope that it doesn’t affect her confidence.”
The Care Inspectorate raised “significant concerns” regarding the nursery’s leadership after an unannounced inspection earlier this year.
However, the facility’s staff were praised by inspectors.
Ultimately a failure to recruit a new manager has led to its closure with Moray Leisure Centre also revealing that the building itself requires “significant investment” if it was to ever reopen as a childcare facility.
Alexandrea Macleod, Moray Leisure Centre operations manager, said earlier this month: “We want to thank both parents and staff for their understanding during a very difficult time and, in particular, want to recognise the many years of excellent care provided by our dedicated staff, which inspectors noted for their ‘kindness and care’.”
