Karen Lilley

Karen Lilley, the head of Cabin Childcare Centres, a network of 3 Day Nurseries in Plymouth, prioritises enabling working parents within her own staff. To achieve this, Cabin Childcare Centres offers a four-day workweek, allowing employees to manage childcare needs alongside their jobs.

Additionally, flexible scheduling allows staff to share rotas and ensure they can drop off and pick up their children from school. Karen underlines the importance of flexibility for employers seeking to retain valuable staff, particularly working parents.

She suggests options like term-time contracts and work-from-home arrangements to accommodate childcare demands. Recognising the lack of extended family support for many working parents, Karen highlights the need for empathy from employers, especially towards single parents