Daycare Trust was commissioned by NHS employers to undertake a study quantifying the impact of NHS childcare and carer support on recruitment, retention, absenteeism, morale and other aspects of the working lives of NHS staff.
The study used a questionnaire survey of all Childcare and Carer Co-ordinators in England together with three national sample surveys of staff receiving various forms of childcare and adult carer support to produce both national and local impact estimates.
Key findings
- As at 1st April 2006 there were approximately 182 areas in England served by a designated Childcare or Carer Co-ordinator or equivalent member of staff.
- In total, it is estimated that these 182 areas account for 443 (72 per cent) of the PCTs, Trusts and other NHS organisations in England and 947,000 (77 per cent) of the 1,222,000 staff employed by the NHS.
- In the two year period April 2004 - March 2006 it is estimated that, in total, 147,900 staff in these 182 areas received some form of NHS provided or NHS funded childcare, childcare information, advice or advocacy, or support on issues related to the care of an elderly relative or other adult.
- The estimated numbers receiving each of the above forms of support are as follows:
Estimates of total number of staff receiving NHS childcare or carer support, April 2004 - March 2006
| Type of support |
Estimates for all areas with a Co-ordinator |
|
Number
|
%
|
|
Childcare (including direct subsidies and vouchers)
|
56,400
|
38%
|
|
Childcare information, advice and advocacy (see note 1)
|
111,300
|
75%
|
|
Adult carer support (see note 1)
|
10,700
|
7%
|
| Total (excluding double counting - see note 2) |
147,900 |
100% |
Notes:
1. Refers to support provided through a Childcare/Carer Co-ordinator or equivalent member of staff.
2. The overall total receiving childcare or adult carer support has been adjusted to avoid double counting of staff receiving two or more forms of support. For this reason the percentages do not sum to 100%.
- In total, it is estimated that 102,500 of the 147,900 staff receiving childcare or carer support (69 per cent) have experienced a significant impact on one or more aspects of their working lives.
- Even when the less tangible impacts of 'peace of mind', 'feeling valued' and 'job satisfaction and morale' are taken out of the equation, an estimated 78,700 staff (53 per cent) have experienced a significant impact on factors such as recruitment, retention, return and absenteeism.
- Some forms of support appear to have a bigger impact on recruitment, retention, absenteeism and staff morale than others. The national staff surveys indicated that, in general, day nursery provision had the biggest impact on staff's working lives and direct subsidies, childcare vouchers and salary sacrifice schemes had the smallest impact.
- It is estimated that in the period April 2004 - March 2006, the provision of NHS childcare and carer support resulted in around 111,800 fewer working days lost through staff absenteeism.
- Even when looking at the savings in basic recruitment and advertising costs alone, it is estimated that in the period April 2004 - March 2006, the impact of childcare and carer support in helping to retain staff within the NHS, may have saved the NHS around £170 million.
Last reviewed 26 Oct 2007
