childcare partners Buffer Bear is a leading provider of high quality nursery care and operates a network of over fifty nurseries across the UK. Building on its experience and understanding of what employers need, it has developed cost-effective, high quality childcare schemes for large organisations such as Toyota (GB) PLC and NHS Trusts, as well as small to medium sized companies such as Ward Hadaway Solicitors in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Buffer Bear nurseries operate both in affluent areas and also in inner city and regeneration areas. As a social enterprise organisation Buffer Bear and its sister company Childcare Partners work closely with central and local government to help parents who want to get back into education or the workplace. A number of its nurseries are part-funded by the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative which is part of the Government’s Sure Start programme to provide childcare for families in areas of disadvantage. Within the programme Buffer Bear can help parents to get advice on obtaining the maximum percentage of their cost of childcare through Working Tax Credits and other benefits. Buffer Bear Ltd is a sister company of Childcare Partners Ltd “ Working together to make life better for children and parents”