The new scheme will provide materials and resources to businesses and organisations to give to employees who are preparing for parenthood, including information packs and courses.
Bright Horizons operates 135 nurseries, offering more than 8,500 places.
The group specialises in workplace nurseries for a range of clients in the public and private sectors, including large employer organisations.
The nursery group envisages the new initiative as an extension of this to help support companies’ employees who are due to become parents, both prior and during maternity and paternity leave and on their return to work.
At local level, Bright Horizons and NCT, who already work together, will collaborate on activities for families.
Bright Horizons cites the Government’s Families in the Foundation Years document which highlights the importance of parenting support for families.
Carole Edmond, managing director of Bright Horizons, (pictured), said, ‘We are delighted to be working with NCT. We know that so many of our nursery families who come to us have already benefited through pregnancy and the early days from the support they have received from their local NCT classes. For those parents who then go on to choose nursery care for their child our commitment is to continue to support them by providing the reassuringly high quality care that will help them to balance their home and work responsibilities and to closely link learning at nursery and at home.’
Sally Horrox, NCT director of marketing and corporate communications, said, ‘NCT wants to be there for all parents, and we know from what families tell us that leaving work to have a baby and returning after maternity or paternity leave can sometimes be a difficult transition. We are pleased to be working together with Bright Horizons to let expectant and new parents know about the support which is available locally and all the options open to them to make the transition as smooth as possible so they can concentrate on being a parent.’
