Childcare company set to mark 5th birthday with new play days

3rd March 2019

In celebration of hitting the five-year milestone, locally-based childcare company First Steps Enterprise launches special “stay and play” days across the region.

A locally-based childcare and staffing company is celebrating five years since it launched this week. What began as a small staffing agency run by husband and wife duo Ian and Jennifer Merrison in March 2014, now also operates in three childcare settings across the region.

Starting with just 13 staff employed in children’s centres and schools in 2014, First Steps now employs over 50 people in Sefton and Liverpool. It now operates childcare across three settings and staffing services. The childcare settings, which are known as ‘footprints@’ are based in Formby, Netherton and Ainsdale. Mr Merrison is proud of how the company has grown. ‘I am really happy with how these last five years have seen us to grow. We are especially pleased we are operating the footprints@ childcare settings.’

In celebration of the milestone, the company has just launched “stay and play afternoons” in its Pine Tots setting in Formby which will be open to parents with young pre-school children who wish to come along with their children. Deputy Manager Sarah Mercer tell us ‘the stay and plays in our Pine Tots setting in Formby on Friday afternoons are a great way to see the setting and ask us any questions. And to catch-up with friends!’

Mrs Mercer explains more about the footprints@ settings: ‘Children are at the heart of them. We really look to give the best quality childcare we can, and various funding streams for 2, 3- and 4-year olds are available. We are always happy to let interested parents look round.’

The footprints@pinetots (formerly Pine Pixies) setting is based in St Luke’s Church Hall on Kirklake Road in Formby, and the footprints@netherton pre-school is based in Netherton Family & Well-Being Centre (formerly known as Netherton Children’s Centre) in the heart of the Netherton community. The third setting, Kings Kids After School Club serves the children who attend Kings Meadow Primary School in Ainsdale.

First Steps can be contacted on 0151 665 0160. Pine Tots in Formby number is 07522 011 524. Mr Merrison adds ‘We look forward to seeing what the next five years may bring!’

Notes for Editors

First Steps Enterprise Limited provides two services: staffing for children’s centres and schools in Sefton and Liverpool, and its ‘footprints@’ childcare settings in three settings in Formby, Netherton and Ainsdale. It is 5 on 4th March 2019.

Its main office is in the Women’s Organisation in 54 St James Street in the Baltic Triangle in Liverpool; tel 0151 665 0160.

The Managing Director is Ian Merrison; with Jennifer Merrison also a director; the Company Deputy Manager is Sarah Mercer.

Website: https://firststepsenterprise.co.uk/