The Prime Time Nursery in Edinburgh plans to develop the staff agency to operate the service. Nursery manager Monica Langa said some of the agency staff could be used to work at the nursery, while others could be leased out to different settings to cover for leave or sickness, and provide nannying or sitter services while a child was sick.
Although the plans, which also include the development of a training unit, are currently awaiting approval by the Care Commission, Ms Langa said she hoped both divisions would be available by the summer.
Mrs Langa said she and her husband got the idea when they met other parents in Edinburgh when their own child was in a nursery. She said, 'All the people you talk to are in the same position as us. In Edinburgh there are many couples who move here for professional reasons and they do not necessarily have family or a network of friends to support them when something unexpected comes up.'
Market research and statistics from the Scottish Executive support anecdotal evidence. In Edinburgh 25 per cent of children go to independent school, the highest level in the country. The city has one of the lowest unemployment levels in the UK and many degree-educated residents. The city also has a large academic community, said Ms Langa, and visiting professors come from other countries during the summer months and use Prime Time's services.
Ms Langa said Prime Time offers a premium service, with nappies and organic food included in its fees, and higher staff:child ratios than those set by the Care Commission. She said the nursery staff are paid better than average and they are offered a company pension plan.
Mrs Langa said, 'A lot of parents say that we are really good value, but we are not the cheapest on the block - probably one of the most expensive.'
In Glasgow, the Four Seasons Nursery offers extended hours care, as well as Spanish lessons and hairdressing. But Inez Murray, its managing director, said these kinds of extras were not becoming the norm, and warned nurseries to conduct careful market research before extending the services they offered and charging premium fees.
