Nursery World - Ad Hoc Childcare

With the number of self-employed people on the rise, ad hoc childcare is proving popular, reports Gabriella Jozwiak

Nursery managers used to offering two or three childcare sessions a day may be stunned by the idea of single-hour childcare slots. But in London, providers are increasingly offering ad hoc childcare arrangements for a growing population of self-employed parents.

My Crèche co-founder Saasha Celestial-One opened such a setting two years ago in North London. ‘In any given day there are 10 to 15 children booked in,’ she explains. ‘Half will be regulars from 9am to 6pm. The other spots are kids in for anything from an hour. We might any day have 30 come through.’

The former business strategist set up the company after regularly leaving her child at a local gym crèche. ‘I just wanted the odd hour – but you had to stay on the premises,’ she says. ‘I tried to find a childminder, but that would involve a deposit, sick cover and holiday pay – way more than I wanted to pay.’ Instead she set up My Crèche, which is registered with Ofsted as a nursery.

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