A plea has gone out to parents affected by the sudden closure of a Gorleston nursery to get in touch with Norfolk County Council about arranging alternative childcare.
The privately-run House of Fun Nursery suddenly closed its doors on September 6 leaving parents scrambling to find alternative provision for their children.
Norfolk County Council had said about 60 children were affected and has now revealed that very few families have got in touch with its Family Information Service seeking help and advice.
Penny Carpenter, the county council's cabinet member for children's services, said: “We’re working closely with a small number of families as well as other local providers to ensure that we can support any families to provide alternative provision.
"If there are any other families out there who are still unsure about your next steps, please do contact the Family Information Service for advice and support.
“There are a number of alternative providers in the local area whose details can be found in the Norfolk Community Directory.
"We have been in contact with local providers who have told us about the capacity they have. Some providers do have the ability to expand their capacity if there is sufficient demand.”
READ MORE: Shock as nursery suddenly closes
The nursery, which opened in 2003, was told to close with immediate effect by Scottish company DK Acquisitions on September 6 - the first day of the new term.
It is understood that a group of parents, whose children attend the House of Fun Nursery on Longs Industrial Estate, want to save the business.
READ MORE: Council offers support after nursery closes
Urging parents to contact the Family Information Service, Graham Plant, county councillor for Gorleston, said: “I’m really sorry to hear about the impact this has had on families affected by the closure, and challenges around finding alternative provision for some families.
"We have had very few families contact us directly, and we need to understand the demand for childcare in order to work with local providers to meet that need.”
Contact the Family Information Service on 0344 800 8020, email fis@norfolk.gov.uk or visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/familyinformationservice
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