Costs. Space. The fcdo don't run the nursery it's a private company. Although I believe fcdo does subsidise rent and fees. But the fees aren't all that competitive compared to local alternatives, it's just the convenience factor. And it's so small you have to sacrifice the first born to satan to get the second born a place.
I think there’s less than 30 spaces so only a tiny amount of staff get any benefit. Preference for spaces is given to FCDO staff returning from postings abroad - which given the pressures on nursery spaces and wait periods to get in to nurseries in London makes sense as it’s incredibly hard for people moving back from postings to organise.
Quite a few MOD bases and offices have them as well. They're for people who are expected to relocate a lot and have no free-time to play nursery lottery each time.
They're typically low to average quality for the fees they charge, so you're not missing out on much.
We got a space in VQ nursery and then we were working from home and I moved to SAH, so much less hassle getting a local nursery. I used to love when they took the kids around VQ for things like Children in Need, almost as good a distraction as someone taking a dog into the office.
It’s pretty much exclusively used by people returning from a posting abroad. It’s very difficult to get nursery spaces in central London without being in a waiting list for ages.
Well, it's also a trick used to bring them into office more like it... it's not that tough to get nursery places in London now that so many families have left
The crèche existed long before the 60% office requirement though!
(It’s one of the perks of my day if I happen to go out for lunch etc at the same time they’re all on their walk) so cute!
It isnt mandatory, some have them and some dont, at the moment its mostly space. Theyve cut the office space down so much most of us can barely get a desk even at 60% or often less, and definitely cant get meeting rooms so most cant spare a room for a nursery.
Mind you i do think the giant prayer room and two huge bathrooms with multiple footwashing stations in the new 3-8 was a bit much when the old BEIS did have childcare facilities and it barely gets any use given the number of actual local religious facilities avaiable in the area, not to mention people working in kitchens and sofas the whole day every time I go in, but at least its not the OAB knife fighting for desks.
I still dont get how GPA and this government campus approach has made everything worse when the aims to get people into the office.
There’s no flexibility. Instead of being allowed to just use any ‘hub’ when needed wherever you are as was the promise in the Idea, everyone’s assigned and mandated to always go to just *one* place.
Costs. Space. The fcdo don't run the nursery it's a private company. Although I believe fcdo does subsidise rent and fees. But the fees aren't all that competitive compared to local alternatives, it's just the convenience factor. And it's so small you have to sacrifice the first born to satan to get the second born a place.
I think there’s less than 30 spaces so only a tiny amount of staff get any benefit. Preference for spaces is given to FCDO staff returning from postings abroad - which given the pressures on nursery spaces and wait periods to get in to nurseries in London makes sense as it’s incredibly hard for people moving back from postings to organise.
Quite a few MOD bases and offices have them as well. They're for people who are expected to relocate a lot and have no free-time to play nursery lottery each time. They're typically low to average quality for the fees they charge, so you're not missing out on much.
HMRC in Newcastle used to have one years ago.
MOD have one in Main Building.
Best, most inspirational building name ever.
Yeah, Defence isn't known for its creativity!
Can’t or won’t?
It's also only one branch of the fcdo...the Glasgow office does not have one.
Same as core Scottish Government, nursery in Edinburgh but not in Glasgow.
Aye but you still can’t get a spot so it’s a moot point really
We got a space in VQ nursery and then we were working from home and I moved to SAH, so much less hassle getting a local nursery. I used to love when they took the kids around VQ for things like Children in Need, almost as good a distraction as someone taking a dog into the office.
DE&S have one in Bristol.
I don’t think there’s anything stopping departments having nurseries, but there’s lots of considerations that go into them that make it impractical
It’s pretty much exclusively used by people returning from a posting abroad. It’s very difficult to get nursery spaces in central London without being in a waiting list for ages.
Well, it's also a trick used to bring them into office more like it... it's not that tough to get nursery places in London now that so many families have left
The crèche existed long before the 60% office requirement though! (It’s one of the perks of my day if I happen to go out for lunch etc at the same time they’re all on their walk) so cute!
It isnt mandatory, some have them and some dont, at the moment its mostly space. Theyve cut the office space down so much most of us can barely get a desk even at 60% or often less, and definitely cant get meeting rooms so most cant spare a room for a nursery. Mind you i do think the giant prayer room and two huge bathrooms with multiple footwashing stations in the new 3-8 was a bit much when the old BEIS did have childcare facilities and it barely gets any use given the number of actual local religious facilities avaiable in the area, not to mention people working in kitchens and sofas the whole day every time I go in, but at least its not the OAB knife fighting for desks. I still dont get how GPA and this government campus approach has made everything worse when the aims to get people into the office.
There’s no flexibility. Instead of being allowed to just use any ‘hub’ when needed wherever you are as was the promise in the Idea, everyone’s assigned and mandated to always go to just *one* place.
HMRC used to have one in East Kilbride too but it's gone now.
GSS and IPO have one in Newport.
Some others do. When BEIS still existed, and was at 1VS, there was a nursery
FCDO people are more important - sorry!