Agents and homeworkers sought to become 'community leads'

New not-for-profit charity Childcare Connect, co-founded by TAG’s Ruth Hilton, believes the trade could help NHS workers and keyworkers with childcare, and fulfil other vital community roles.

Hilton said the scheme would "modernise" childcare, and re-establish it as a community service, helping to rebuild vital relationships and trust between neighbours.

"Unfortunately, our busy lives have seen this network break down," said Hilton. "Childcare Connect wants to recruit ’community leads’ to act as catalysts to establish a network of childcarers in their local area.

"Homeworkers and travel agents already have a strong network of local contacts and are perfectly positioned to mobilise a local army of ’parents’ to help us provide free childcare as a practical way of giving back to NHS and keyworkers.

"We obviously realise we cannot deliver this service until lockdown is eased, but setting up a network of this nature takes time so we want to get it in place now ready to go."