Netflix has become the first studio to hire TV and film industry childcare provider, The WonderWorks’, mobile nursery.
The nursery will be used on Gareth Evans’ crime drama feature Havoc, which is set to shoot in Wales this summer.
In an industry first, the mobile nursery is providing Care Inspectorate (Wales) registered childcare to the children of cast and crew members working on the production.
The mobile nursery is a “Tardis”, say The WonderWorks’ founders, actor Charlotte Riley and business partner Mark Radcliffe, comprising a double decker bus complete with on board dining room, toilets, library, office, sleeping area and fully stocked kitchen preparing fresh meals up to four times per day. It has space to accommodate a maximum of 19 children at a time, from birth – 5 years old on a full-time basis, as well as including children up to 16 years old outside of school term time.
The Wales setting also has an enclosed garden with water play, activity zones and a chill-out area, as well as a ‘double digits zone’ where older children can relax, read a book or even do some pottery. The unit also offers minimal impact to the environment, requiring no heavy construction, plumbing or foundation works to be completed.
Co-founder of The WonderWorks, Charlotte Riley, comments: “We are beyond excited that our beautiful mobile nursery has taken on its first job on Havoc. Prior to now, on set childcare has been more informal and offered on an ad hoc basis by willing productions, so having fully qualified, CIW/Ofsted registered staff and a first-rate ‘home from home’ for children on set is something we’re incredibly proud to be able to offer.
“We hope this will be the start of many studios like Netflix recognising the need for this service in order to keep talented people in the industry once they start a family. Putting a line in the budget for childcare is something we believe should be a necessity, not a luxury.”
Co-founder of The WonderWorks, Mark Radcliffe, comments: “Just as Warner Bros. put their faith in us to create our first, permanent facility at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, we are hugely grateful that Netflix has been forward thinking and engaged us to provide a similar level of care for on location shoots. This is another step on our journey to make the industry more inclusive, and we are looking forward to seeing what a difference the mobile nursery will make to the parents – and children – of those working on Havoc.”
Jon Creamer
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