Nursery shortages in Keynsham has caused one family to move their toddler between four different nurseries in the last two years. Helen Philpott and her partner have three children who are now six, three and six months-old, but have spent a fortune in petrol this year after having to drive miles everyday for their three-year-old to attend nursery.
Rowan started at Broadland Bears (Keynsham) in 2021 but in less than three months the nursery closed so he moved to Leaping Lambs for almost a year before five local branches closed permanently last year. Following the closure, they were not refunded for the month they had already paid in advance to Leaping Lambs and couldn't find another nursery place for their son locally.
After Rowan’s second nursery closure, he ended up attending nursery in Hengrove - five miles away - before securing a place at his current nursery in Stockwood which is three-and-a-half miles from the family's home in Keynsham. “It has been really disruptive. Rowan used to be one of those kids who didn’t look back after being dropped off but now he always cries when he’s left,” explained Helen.
