The Scottish Parliament Crèche is operated by Tinies UK Ltd.
General information
- The crèche is open from 08.00 - 18.00 on business days (Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays) and 09.00 – 17.00 on non-business days (Mondays, Fridays & Recess periods)
- We are open to the public from 9-6 on business days (Tues-Thurs), and from 10-5 on non-business days and during recess (Mon and Fri).
- The Crèche is registered to provide care for children between the ages of six weeks and 5 years.
- Spaces can be booked up to 2 weeks in advance. Bookings can be made by email ([email protected] parliament.scot), by telephone on extension 86192 or in person by reporting to the Crèche Office.
- Maximum single stay in the Crèche is 4hrs per day, practitioners can advise on the best length of stay for your child, based on their age, stage and needs.
- The cost of the Crèche for pass holders is £4 per/hour or part hour. Payment can be made by cash, cheque or by voucher if you receive vouchers through the SPCB's childcare voucher scheme. Further details about the SPCB's childcare voucher scheme can be obtained by contacting the HR Enquiry Service on 0131 348 6500 or by email at [email protected]
- Visitors to the Parliament may use the Crèche free of charge.
- Parents/carers should provide cold snacks and lunch for children, as we have no reheating facilities. We ask that nuts, juice or sugary items are not provided. It should be noted that we cannot accept powdered or home-prepared formula milk. We can accept sealed ready-to-drink cartons of formula milk. Bottle warmers are available to allow feeding of younger children and a baby changing/feeding room is situated adjacent to the Crèche.
Admission of children
- Persons registering or collecting a child from the Crèche must be over 16 years of age
- A Child Entry Form and GDPR form must be fully completed prior to a child being admitted to the Crèche to ensure that staff have all the relevant information required to enable children to be cared for appropriately
Included in the information required is:
- Emergency contact details - this must be someone who is not in attendance at Parliament that day
- Details of any medical conditions, including allergies and any medication to be administered. If your child has an allergy that requires medication (prescribed by the GP or pharmacist) this must be provided to the creche. We cannot accept over-the-counter medication
- Details of immunisations
- Contact details for child’s General Practitioner and Health Visitor.
- Details of any special dietary requirements
- Signed consent for photographs to be taken, emergency medical treatment and acknowledgement of Crèche staff’s responsibility to report suspicions of abuse or neglect to Social Services.
- Parent/carers must sign their child into the Crèche to provide a signature for comparison when the child is being collected at the end of the session
- Written notice (form provided) must be given at the time of registration if the child is to be collected by another adult
Remaining in contact
- It is essential that parents/carers are contactable while their child is in attendance at the Crèche.
- Parents/carers must remain within the Parliament complex while their child is in the Crèche.
- Parents/carers must return to the Crèche if requested to do so.
Settling in
- Parents/carers are encouraged to spend some time with their child to settle him/her into the Crèche
- Parents/carers will be admitted to the Crèche following registration of their child and at pick up times. A maximum of two parents can be in the creche at any time.
Collecting your child from the creche
- Parents/carers must return to collect their child at the allotted time. Parents can ask practitioners if they wish to extend the time. Allowance of this will be based on staff to child ratios, and children’s needs
- Where a child is to be collected by another adult and this has been notified to the Crèche by the registering parents/carer, the other adult will be required to give a password as well as providing identification e.g. driving license or passport which contains his/her signature. The adult will be required to sign the Crèche register to release the child into their care
Failure to collect a child
Where a parent/carer fails to collect a child at the end of a session staff will:
- Try to contact the parent/carer.
If the parent/carer cannot be contacted the member of staff will inform the Crèche Manager or Deputy Manager who will then:
- Contact Parliament personnel to alert them to the situation
- Telephone the emergency contact to ask for the child to be collected
- As a last resort, contact Social Care Direct for advice.
Throughout the above process, Crèche staff will keep both Scottish Parliament personnel and Tinies UK Ltd up to date with the developing situation. Staff will also ensure that the child is protected from anxiety and remains in the Crèche until an authorised person can collect him/her.