Marie Tidball MP visits childcare provider in Stocksbridge

Marie Tidball MP, Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge, recently visited Early STEPS Nursery in Stocksbridge to discuss their work in the local community. 

Marie received a tour of the various spaces throughout the centre, led by Childcare Manager Karen Hibberd and CEO Sam Tarff, where she was able to speak to staff, and hear about the strengths and challenges facing nursery providers today. 

Marie then explored the Family Hub in the upper floor of the building, which is part of the Sheffield Family Hub network to provide support to children under 5 and their parents. In particular, Marie was pleased to meet with members from the Family Hub’s Infant Feeding Team, who work with parents for feeding and caring for their baby. 

The nursey, which opened in 2009, is part of the STEP Development Trust, which also manages The Venue, Manchester Road, and the STEP Business Centre in Deepcar. Their services include community projects, such as ‘STEP into Work’, which provides employment support. 

Marie’s visit to the nursery comes along the Labour Government’s rolling out of 30 hours free childcare for parents across the UK, saving them up to £7,500 a year, and easing the strain on parents’ wallets. Other measures the Government has recently introduced to support parents include rolling out new and improved school-based nurseries. 

Sam Tarff, Chief Executive Officer at the STEP Development Trust, said: 

“We were delighted to welcome Marie Tidball MP to our childcare centre and to show her first-hand the vital role early years provision plays in supporting families in Stocksbridge. Our team works incredibly hard to provide high-quality, affordable childcare, but like many independent providers we face real challenges around funding and sustainability. It was encouraging to have the opportunity to discuss these issues directly with our local MP, and to highlight both the dedication of our staff and the importance of continued investment in the early years sector for the future of our community.” 

Marie Tidball MP, Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said: 

“I’m very grateful to Karen and Sam for giving me a tour of the warm and welcoming spaces across the Early STEP’s Nursery and Family Hub Site.   

“I’m passionate about early years and I’m glad that our Government has supported parents through this vital time in a child’s life, including the introduction of 30 hours free childcare this week, and the rollout of more school-based nurseries. It was really helpful to talk to Karen and Sam about what is needed to support our local early years sector, so I can raise this with Ministers over the coming weeks. 

“I also met Kayla Thompson and Susan Broomfield from the Infant Feeding team at the Family Hub at the children’s centre. Supporting women in our community on this issue is one of my priorities, and I look forward to working with them on this soon.”