Busy Bees nursery in Leeward to close amid staffing challenges

A Busy Bees nursery in Leeward, near Springfield Stadium, is set to close on Friday, 30 October, following long-running difficulties recruiting qualified staff.

The decision comes after continued efforts to address staffing shortages, which have made it difficult to keep the facility operating sustainably.

Yvonne Smillie, Divisional Director at Busy Bees, said the company recognised the closure would be disruptive for families and staff, adding that efforts had been made to find a way to keep the nursery open.

However, ongoing challenges in recruiting the qualified early years professionals needed to run the setting meant the business could no longer continue operating at Leeward.

Busy Bees has offered places for affected children at its other nurseries in La Providence and Castle Quay.

Ms Smillie apologised for the impact of the closure on families and said the company’s priority was to maintain high standards of care while supporting children through the transition.

She added that Busy Bees was working to make the change as smooth as possible for the children affected.