Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust recognises that juggling a career and a young family is not easy. You want to come to work knowing that your child is being well looked after and the Trust's HR Team can assist with helping you to find childcare.
The HR Team acts as a source of support for all employees and can be contacted on 01752 437253.
The HR Team's responsibilities include:
- Promoting work/life balance throughout the Trust
- Facilitating staff and managers to identify workable solutions and encourage positive partnership between individuals and their line managers.
- Liasing closely with Happy Days (the on site nursery) to give advice where needed on Nursery placements and childcare vouchers
- Assisting employees with tax and subsidy queries such as Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.
- Assisting employees with details of Childcare facilities available.
Childcare Options
Happy Days Nursery (on site)
Nursery Happy Days is the onsite nursery, which caters for children from 3 months to school age. Priority places are given to NHS staff although non-NHS employees do use the facilities. The facility currently opens from 7am - 6pm. The corporate childcare scheme gives you an average saving of 30% on childcare costs, which is made through your salary if you are eligible.
Children's Information Service and Devon Information on Services for Children
These services can offer staff information on what childcare is available, helping parents back to work, details of holiday and play schemes, parenting and family support, local and national funding available for childcare costs and lots more. For further information visit their website at www.childcarelink.gov.uk
Childcare Vouchers
Childcare vouchers can save you on average 30-40% on childcare costs. They can be used for all types of childcare, such as registered childminder, private day nursery, holiday playscheme (before and after school schemes). The vouchers are exempt from Tax and National Insurance and are deducted from your salary. They can be ordered on a standing order or a monthly basis. However, you need to be sure that you are still earning enough to pay national insurance contributions or it may effect other benefits that you may be entitled to. Employee’s salary after childcare vouchers are deducted must be above the national minimum wage.
Further information on Allsave Childcare Vouchers can be accessed by telephone 01256 339100 or through the following link: www.allsaveuk.com
Childminder
The Carer Co-ordinator has links with the local childminder network and is able to obtain a list of childminders for the area you live in.
Alternatively you can contact the Children’s Information Service on 0800 783 4259.
The Children's Information Service can be accessed through the following link. www.childcarelink.gov.uk
Nurseries
The Carer Coordinator can asssit with contact details of nurseries locally and also others throughout Devon and Cornwall.
Holiday playschemes
The Carer Coordinator can also provide a full list of holiday playschemes, available from a few weeks before the school holidays.
Nannies
The Trust has connections with the College of Further Education where courses are run for people who wish to become nannies. They have agreed that if any member of staff requires a Nanny, staff can send in a postcard with name and telephone number. The courses that are run give people the qualification that is required after 2 or 3 years studying and the CFE will put the qualified nannies in touch with you.
Au Pair
An Au Pair is a single person aged 18 - 30 without dependants, who comes to the United Kingdom to learn English and live as part of an English speaking family to assist with childcare for a maximum two year period.
To find out more visit www.aupair-world.net
Emergency Childcare
If your childcare breaks down at short notice then the HR Team may be able to assist in finding an emergency childcare place for you. For further information on any of the above please contact HR on 01752 437253