PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is trialling an emergency childcare scheme for staff who are left in the lurch by their childminders.
The pilot is being introduced in response to staff demand. If successful it will be rolled out on a permanent basis across the organisation, which already offers childcare vouchers to staff.
The scheme, which is being provided by Bright Horizons Family Solutions, will be tested on 2,000 employees across the UK, spanning five offices.
Toni Graves, head of reward at PwC, said: "We have childcare vouchers in place but this is different, as it is actual paid-for nursery places, provided by the company for employees who are let down by their childminder at the last minute."
PwC already offers flexible working for parents and has introduced quarterly parenting seminars which are attended by members of the parents network.
The accounting firm offers free childcare vouchers for a year to those employees coming back from maternity leave.
