Media industry is fastest sector to take-up childcare voucher schemes for employees

Early Years Vouchers Ltd, one of the UK's leading childcare voucher organisations, has found four times as many companies in the media industry are taking-up childcare vouchers compared to other market sectors. Over 14 major media companies recently signed up to EYVL's scheme - including Brilliant Media, one of the UK’s leading media communications agencies, and GlobeCast, a global provider of content management and worldwide transmission services. Both companies are strong in their praise for the scheme which is already enabling employees to save up to £1,195 per year on childcare costs,

but criticise the Government for not promoting their value.

Jenny King, HR and Office Administration, GlobeCast: "We first heard about the scheme just over a year ago when a new member of staff enquired about joining. It's a Government initiated scheme but the Government doesn't really advertise or market it so it falls to the employer to ensure working parents receive the benefits they are legally entitled to. Since joining EYVL, all I have to do each month is go onto the website, click a button and send the invoice across to the Accounts Department – I can’t fault EYVL on its service."

GlobeCast and Brilliant Media are just two of the media companies that have become pro-active in educating its employees about the benefits. Many parents and companies remain unaware of how much employees can be helped with childcare costs using childcare vouchers, even though money saving experts, such as Martin Lewis from GMTV, continue to tip the scheme as one of the best ways to save money.

Early Years Vouchers Ltd helps companies educate their employees on the benefits of the scheme by providing a personal induction to the scheme, while HR departments use emails, leaflets and posters to ensure that all new and existing employees know exactly what they're entitled to.

Brilliant Media joined the childcare vouchers scheme at EYVL when the Government ruling came out in 2005. "The company's Director, Amanda Ward, came to our offices and gave working parents an induction to the scheme - they couldn't believe how much they were entitled to and how easy the whole process was," commented Jane Nivot, Personnel Manager at Brilliant Media. "There are a number of working Mums and Dads on the scheme - including the Chairman of the company - and those who have become parents since we implemented the scheme have come back to work and signed up straight away. As a company we recognise how difficult it is to be a working parent."