Parents at Cowboys and Angels Day Nursery, in Warrington, are so welcome that they are encouraged to pop in to see their children during their lunch breaks. The nursery operates a 'Cuddle-up for Lunch' initiative where parents and carers can visit to breastfeed, reassure themselves that their child is happy, or simply spend extra time together.
'We make it clear to parents that they are allowed to come by unannounced at any time and we encourage them to do it, especially when the children are settling in and need extra support. It helps to make parents and carers feel more comfortable,' says nursery manager Amanda Brown.
'The nursery is in the town centre and a lot of parents work nearby. But some parents travel to work in Manchester or Liverpool, so it is not easy for them, although we do have a grandmother who comes in regularly to visit her grandson. We encourage those parents who can't come in regularly to ring us at any time. They can talk directly to the staff in the rooms.'
Many parents take the opportunity to visit the nursery during the day, for around 40 minutes on average. It is especially popular with those who have babies attending - half of whom call in regularly for a cuddle. As the children move through the nursery the parents tend to visit less during the day, preferring to phone instead, but it is left to their judgment.
The initiative has been in operation since the nursery opened four and a half years ago. There has never been a problem with too many parents visiting at once because they are naturally staggered by different work hours.
Popping in
'Some nurseries dissuade parents from popping in,' says Ms Brown. 'Quite a few nurseries in the Warrington area have the parents drop off the children at the door. But we want the nursery to have a home-from-home environment that is very family-orientated. We feel we can do this by bringing the parents into the nursery. We get a lot of positive responses when we tell parents about it.'
It is a strong selling point for mothers who would like to continue breastfeeding when they return to work. 'They really like that they can continue breastfeeding for a few months more, until they and their baby are ready to stop. There is a quiet room that they can go to, but most prefer to sit in a comfy chair in the baby room. They have privacy but can still be involved in the room and chat to the staff while they are feeding.'
Staff also enjoy the initiative because it creates a more relaxed time to talk to parents, whereas handovers tend to be quite rushed. It helps parents to feel comfortable in approaching staff to discuss their child's routines and to swap information.
'It also gives parents extra time to watch their children in the nursery environment,' Ms Brown says. 'They get more of an understanding of what they do at nursery, as they visit when activities are going on and can watch them play. Some enjoy joining in an activity with their child, such as painting. During the week there can be limited time for play at home, so the parents really enjoy it - plus they can go away and leave the mess!'
CASE STUDY: Lorren Farrar and daughter, Lily, 21 months
'When Lily started at nursery I would visit every lunchtime, as I'd miss her and feel guilty for leaving her every day. She is there five days a week from around 8am to 5.30pm, which is such a long time. 'Now she is in toddlers I do not visit as much. She goes to sleep later, so we can play in the evenings.
'The nursery is just a 10-minute walk from work so I'd go for an hour. The staff would let me give Lily her dinner and I'd also play with her and change her. It was lovely to be able to join in with what she was doing and see her interact with the other children.
'I got to know the staff really well, much better than if I just saw them when I dropped off and collected Lily. It's nice to see that they know of her little habits.
'There was another mother who was often there, too, and we still chat when we see each other. It's reassuring that other parents miss their children, too, and it's not only me.'
