In July, the SU was informed that the Nursery’s future was at stake. Within a month, LSE had made the decision to bring forward the closure of the Nursery to September without formal consultation. This has forced student parents to find alternative provision for their children at incredibly short notice.
The School claims that due to the ongoing pandemic, they are unable to invest in a new space for the Nursery. The SU believes that this is a pretext to cut down its general childcare commitments long-term, which LSE has tried to do several times previously. The most recent attempt was in 2015, but was staved off by a previous SU campaign. It is our view that the School’s actions speak volumes about LSE’s attitudes to childcare and gender inequality in the workplace, and that once again, a campaign is needed to reverse this decision.
Laura Goddard, the SU Community and Welfare Officer said:
“LSE’s decision to close its Nursery after fifty years is a disastrous move that will hit women and student parents the hardest. It is a cost-saving exercise, made during the height of a pandemic. As a community we must act to reverse this decision and reinstate accessible, affordable childcare on campus.”
Sumaya Osman, the SU Women’s Officer added:
“A nursery is not luxury. It is a basic necessity for social mobility and gender equality. The closing of the nursery is discriminative decision that will disadvantage and deter the most vulnerable students.”
We need your support!
Show your support for the #SaveOurNursery campaign by signing the petition here. If you’d like to get involved, please become a member of the campaign here.