Deighton parents face childcare worries

Jul 6 2009 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

She added: “You can give children all the toys in the world, but it’s nothing compared to the outdoor space at The Deighton Centre.

“They say it’s a staffing problem but I know of one person who would take a few extra hours at the after school club if they were offered them.

“It’s not as if there aren’t people looking for jobs either.”

The closure comes only two months after Kirklees Council gave a Denby Dale nursery a 12 month reprieve saying they are “currently undertaking a thorough review of all nursery schools in Kirklees in light of the changes brought about by the Childcare Act 2006”.

Parents think the council should have waited before they made a decision to close it.

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said the Tiddlywinks Nursery at the Deighton Centre would not be closing nor were there any plans for it to close.

But he added: “The changes refer to the nursery’s after school club which is closing because we have struggled to staff the setting for the last 12 months.

“This has put pressure on nursery staff who have had to cover.”

Parents were sent a letter explaining the problems and were told it would not close until an alternative provision had been found around the same area.

The after school club will now close at the end of this term.

The spokesman added: “The club has stayed open until the end of term to help with continuity and make sure parents and children have ample time to prepare for the change in September.

“It is usual practice to ask for a deposit and any parents struggling with this have been advised to speak to the new setting about their options.”