Moray Chamber of Commerce survey highlights childcare issues as parents explain ‘nightmare’ problems
“Nightmare” childcare issues are preventing a large number of parents from being able to work full-time.
A Moray Chamber of Commerce survey and personal accounts provided to The Northern Scot have shown the scale of the problem across the area.
More than 40 per cent of local businesses have faced difficulties in recruiting staff due to childcare issues, while almost 30 per cent have faced difficulties retaining staff.
Two Moray mothers talked of their trouble finding childcare, with one - from Keith - describing her experience as “a nightmare”.
A doctor’s practice manager - also a grandmother - has said problems with out-of-hours care have hit them severely with nearly all members of staff returning on part-time contracts after maternity/paternity leave.
Eileen Rae, who lives in Elgin, has worked at Maryhill Doctor’s Practice for 35 years, with 22 of those as practice manager.
The grandmother-of-one said: “Young mums that we employ are having the same struggle as I had when I became a mother - finding suitable care that allows them to come back to work.
“Most, if not all, were full-time and are now part-time. I can't remember any coming back full-time.
“The practice is open from 8am until 6pm and that requires staff to be here before 8am and sometimes after 6pm. Childcare facilities struggle to accomodate that.
“We try to be flexible with our arrangements but trying to cover it staffing wise can be tricky.”
Moray Chamber surveyed 22 businesses, of all sizes, on the issue. In addition to recruitment and retantion struggles, a total of 55 per cent of businesses have been required to implement new policies to support working parents.
A total of 40 per cent are interested in being part of a community initiative to improve childcare solutions.
The numbers don’t shock Eileen. She added: “This probably gives a sense of how things are for working parents. It’s a difficult challenge to come back to work and make it worthwhile.”
Moray Chamber’s CEO Sarah Medcraf is a mother to two children - seven-year-old Jacob and three-year-old Georgie.
While keen to express how lucky she has been to have worked for a “family-focused” board during both of her pregnancies, Sarah knows others in Moray are not so fortunate.
She hopes that solutions can be found and that a key part of Moray’s workforce can return.
“We need employers to be transparent and open, whether that’s at the job vacancy or interview stage, or through an employee handbook,” she explained.
“We want flexible, family-friendly policies that will increase the likelihood of parents returning to the workforce and help retain talent.
“We want to introduce some form of childcare app - or webpage - to help people find the childcare options available to them.”
Sarah emphasised that there are a good variety of early learning settings in Moray, but waiting lists - especially for people arriving into the area with, for example, the RAF - can be daunting.
She added: “Moray has great variety with outdoor, council, holiday clubs, private nurseries. However, it's quite difficult as a parent to navigate what's available and also there is the waiting time.
"The tricky thing is coming into the area. With both of my children, as soon as I had my 12-week scan I was putting them on a waiting list for nursery because they are so long.
“We appreciate that waiting lists fluctuate throughout the year, but if you are coming into the area how are you going to get your child into childcare - and you have left your family support network.”
A Forres mother-of-two, who will remain anonymous, gave an account of her childcare troubles.
She said: “As a parent of a 4-year-old about to start school and a nine-week-old who will start nursery later this year, the lack of 0-2 care in Forres is ridiculous considering the size of the town.
“The recent influx of families is creating a real need for proper wraparound childcare, particularly as flexible work-from-home jobs in Moray are a rarity rather than the norm.
“I am also surprised at the lack of breakfast, after-school or homework clubs at both primary and secondary school.
“As a teacher who has worked all over Moray but who previously worked in England, there seems to be a lack of flexibility and understanding for parents when it comes to childcare.”
A Keith mother, who wished to remain anonymous, added: “I'm a single working parent and I'd just like to say that childcare is a nightmare. I have two children, aged 10 and seven. My youngest has autism.
“I have managed to get a childminder for the morning, but no such luck for the afternoon so my mother, who is disabled, collects the children for me three days a week.
“I'm lucky to have the childminder as nurseries and childminders have turned us away previously due to not being able to meet my daughter’s needs while caring for other children.
“My mum is moving out of area by the end of the year so I'm facing having to cut hours at work, if I'm allowed, or looking for another job, which I don't want to do as I love my job.
“My life would be so much easier if the school had a before and after school club.”
