There is a severe shortage of crèche places for babies and toddlers, and it is due to the success of the free pre-school programme for three to five-year-olds.

The Government-funded Early Childhood Care and Education scheme (other wise known as the ECCE scheme) has grown to cater for 120,000 children a year, more than double the 52,600 in 2009.

It’s causing parents, particularly mothers returning to work after maternity leave, plenty of issues.

Since we keep hearing how the childcare facilities are at breaking point, is there anything workplaces could be doing to help?

Caroline McEnery is the managing director of the HR Suite, and told Ivan what employers are now starting to do to help.