Nursery World - Editor's View (13)

Nursery nurses are notoriously badly paid, even though their work is increasingly demanding. For many, home ownership is out of reach -a recent survey found that a pair of nursery nurses on average salaries would be able to buy a house in just 16 out of 171 counties in England and Wales. So it's good to know that some nursery chains are showing their appreciation of their employees' dedication by giving them a chance to live the high life. We look at how nursery chains are rewarding staff loyalty on page 15. In parts of the country such as London, where the cost of living is particularly high, nursery nurses may find they cannot even afford to rent. Teddies Nurseries, owned by the private healthcare provider BUPA, is tackling the problem of recruiting staff in the capital by offering subsidised accommodation. We visit one of the homes on offer on page 7.

In parts of the country such as London, where the cost of living is particularly high, nursery nurses may find they cannot even afford to rent. Teddies Nurseries, owned by the private healthcare provider BUPA, is tackling the problem of recruiting staff in the capital by offering subsidised accommodation. We visit one of the homes on offer on page 7.

As well as needing to attract good staff, nurseries also need to manage the relationship with parents, who, after all, are paying for their services. Groups are increasingly focusing on customer care as they seek to raise standards and gain a competitive edge, and on page 4 we look at some of the strategies chains are adopting to make sure they meet the needs of families. The approaches range from high-tech screens to the low-tech but equally effective suggestions box, but in every example communication is the key.

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