Enterprise Nation

Juggling work and childcare just got a lot easier for South West London residents this week with the launch of Third Door. The first facility of its kind in the UK, Third Door provides flexible office space with on-site childcare operated on a pay-as-you-go basis. The Wandsworth-based company hopes to expand into other areas with high concentrations of young families across the country.

Third Door lets parents book a workspace - a Wi-Fi-enabled hot desk or meeting room - and a place in the on-site OFSTED registered crèche for their child, at times that suit their specific work requirements. This flexibility is ideal for independent professionals, entrepreneurs, freelancers, home-based workers or employees who are able to work from home at least one day a week.

"Remote working is on the rise. We have created a space where parents can work without the overheads of having their own office, while having their child looked after in the same building. This cuts down on the stress of trying to commute from work to collect children on time and it means they can spend more time with their child during the day, particularly useful for nursing mums," explains Shazia Mustafa, the mother of two behind the concept.

"Most importantly though, it gives parents the flexibility they need. Our pay-as-you-go model means parents can choose which days or hours suit them best and only pay for the time they need, rather than having to pay for childcare regardless of whether they have work coming in. It also complements existing childcare arrangements by providing additional support in emergencies," she says.

Shazia also thinks it will be a great way for home workers to meet like-minded parents, share ideas, network and have more social interaction than they'd have if they worked on their own in a home office, which can lead to feelings of isolation. And for mothers who aren't sure what to do once their maternity leave ends, Third-Door gives them the child-free time they need to put ideas into action.

Find out more about Third Door on the link below or call 0208 8770098.

• www.third-door.com

What do you think?

Would you like something like Third Door in your area? Do you leave your kids with a minder, when you've lots of work on? Or would you prefer to be near your child, even at a coworking space like Third Door?

Let us know what you think in the comments below.