Nursery World - Nursery workers need a place to live

The Government has recognised the importance of providing affordable homes for keyworkers, particularly in the south-east of England. Up to now these keyworkers included nurses and teachers, and, while I do not deny the validity of their claim, I believe they must also include nursery staff. Under the current proposals nursery workers will not be eligible for new homes in the south-east, despite soaring rents and property prices. This baffles me, given the demands of the Government's National Childcare Strategy.

Under the current proposals nursery workers will not be eligible for new homes in the south-east, despite soaring rents and property prices. This baffles me, given the demands of the Government's National Childcare Strategy.

The Government has targets to increase the number of childcare places to enable more people either to return to work, begin working or attend college to become qualified to work. In order for all this to happen we need good-quality staff. However, what we have is a very ambitious set of targets pitched against a shortage of qualified nursery staff.

As a service operating within the heart of London, we find it hard to recruit staff because they cannot afford a home locally. Those keen to work for us have to spend a large amount of their salary on high rents and/or train fares to affordable areas a long way outside the city.

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