Childcare crisis hits teachers and their schools

THREE teachers in a remote community face not going back to work because of a childcare crisis – causing a knock-on problem for their schools.

Now bosses at the Care and Learning Alliance (CALA) are urgently trying to find somebody to run a vital childcare day centre at Kinlochbervie in Sutherland before the school term starts next month. Local councillor Linda Munro described the situation as an “11th hour debacle.”

Around half-a-dozen working parents require the help to look after their young children, but despite an extensive search no suitably qualified person has yet been found.

An advert for a senior childcare practitioner has a deadline for applications of Monday with interviews on August 3.

Kinlochbervie High School PE Teacher Heather MacNeil, 33, is among those parents affected. She faces taking a “career break” if no childcare is found. She has a five-yearold daughter Holly and took maternity leave after giving birth to her son DonaldJames, who is now 18 months.

After returning to work in January, she relied on a friend travelling from Durness to look after her son.

“She now has a job elsewhere and the situation is getting desperate,” said Mrs MacNeil. “It is really worrying and stressful.”

Valerie Gale, chief executive of CALA, said sympathised with the Kinlochbervie parents but their situation highlighted the crisis of finding childcare in rural areas and the need for schools to better promote the career.

She added that she had not given up on opening the facility in time for the new term and was working on an interim solution.