A new playgroup in Dulwich is trying to fill the void left by closures due to the cost-of-living crisis.
The Little Smiles Stay ‘n’ Play group, opened in April with the promise to make “child socialisation affordable” after a slew of recent closures.
Despite only running for four hours a week, several people on a Dulwich parenting Facebook forum have described the new playgroup as a “breath of fresh air”.
This indicates the need in this community for groups such as these. Nearly 40% of Dulwich are families with dependent children.
The importance of playgroups such as these to provide socialisation for both parent and child cannot be overlooked, making the closures of full-time nurseries so much more distressing for Dulwich parents.
According to Ofsted the number of childcare providers and places across Dulwich have fallen by 400 in this year alone.
Local parents have expressed alarm about having nowhere to socialise their children and being unable to return to work without childcare. Tanya Ashreena, mother of one, told South London Lines that balancing childcare and work was “difficult”, after the recent closures in the area.
Another initiative offering aid to struggling parents in Dulwich is the Little Maestros programme.
Little Maestros is an early year’s music groups with sessions for children aged 6 months to 5 years. Led by music practitioner Mariona de Lamo, the group provides a space for young children to develop a relationship with music.
Little Maestros, founded by Sara and Emily (last names not given), set up the children’s music group in order to “beat loneliness” aiming to bring mums and children together through their group. After both suffering from isolation and loneliness while on maternity their focus reveals the importance of groups such as theirs and Little Smiles which allow parents to socialise with each other.
Without full time nurseries many parents cannot return to work, increasing feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Dulwich is not alone in facing playgroup and nursery closures. At the start of the year 88% of councils across London said they were concerned that nursery closures would be significant, leaving many who want a space unable to have one.
Last year 40% of councils saw a spike in the closure of nurseries and play groups. Most of these closures were due to the inability of these nurseries to make a profit in the wake of the pandemic.
Simultaneous staffing shortages, and increases in bills, and rent have caused the closes.
In a statement to parents Bright Horizons Dulwich day nursery, which closed January this year, said the business “became unsustainable”. The inability of parents to afford professional childcare and their own rising business costs due to inflation were the reasons for the closures.
Cost of living spiked across the United Kingdom (UK) during 2021. Recent data from the Commons Library shows the rate of inflation was 4.6% in October this year.
Councillor Louise Gittins, chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said, “Nurseries and childcare providers are already under massive pressure… causing an acceleration in places closing.”
Similar closures have been seen in surrounding boroughs, making the opening of Little Smiles and the continued classes of Little Maestro so much more meaningful to the Dulwich community.
