We've all heard the news that fewer women are taking the opportunity to have a smear test. For some there is a problem with time and childcare so the UK’s largest platform for parents and childcarers is offering an hour’s free childcare to mothers across the UK so they can attend a cervical screening test. Childcare.co.uk has launched the nationwide initiative to encourage more women to attend a smear test to determine whether they are at risk of cervical cancer, which in 99.8 per cent of cases is preventable with early treatment, however figures show the take up is at a 20-year low.
So far, more than 500 childcare providers have signed up to offer the free hour of childcare. Mothers can book a childcare professional who is offering the service here.
Last month it was reported that some individual childcarers in a few areas of the UK, have been offering a free hour of childcare to mothers so they can go to a cervical screening appointment. After seeing this, Childcare.co.uk was inspired to roll it out nationwide, to ensure that all mothers have the time to go to an appointment.
Every year in the UK, around 3,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer. In the UK, women are invited to get a cervical screening from the age of 25 to 64 by the NHS to help check for cancerous cells and prevent cancer. While the test usually takes just five minutes, Childcare.co.uk providers are offering mothers a free hour of childcare, to allow time for waiting and travel to and from the doctor’s surgery.
Childcare.co.uk is a platform that allows parents to search for and connect with babysitters, childminders, nannies, nurseries, private tutors and schools and allows childcare providers to advertise their services. The site has more than two million users nationwide and is the largest online community for parents in the UK, having launched in 2009.