Nursery World - Spotlight on ... Elaine Harrison

Name: Elaine Harrison

Position: Nursery manager and owner of Poppies Daycare Nursery in Wiltshire

Why did you decide to set up a nursery in a garrison town?

My father and my husband were both in the military so I feel very passionately about it. We have an important relationship to establish with parents on the care side. We have to help them. Sometimes that just involves going out into the garden with them and letting them have a cry. Post-traumatic stress disorder can have a knock-on effect for children as well.

What are the challenges involved?

It's very difficult to get outstanding from Ofsted with such a high turnover. Seventy-two per cent of our intake comes from military families. Many of our children will go through three nurseries in three years. It is so transient that it becomes very important they get some consistency, although they might only be here for six months.

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