Dear all,
In early January, we circulated a questionnaire to help us assess
whether to continue offering childcare service at RIPE Meetings.
While we appreciate those who took the time to respond, the number of
responses was relatively low and did not clearly indicate strong or
consistent demand across the wider meeting community.
This reflects a broader trend we have observed over the past two
years, where uptake of the childcare service has remained very low.
Given the significant costs involved in providing the service, the
current level of participation makes it difficult to sustain in its
present format.
At the same time, we recognise the importance of making RIPE Meetings
accessible to participants with families. Rather than withdrawing
support entirely, we will look into alternative ways to assist
parents. For the upcoming meeting in Edinburgh, we will share a list
of local childcare providers that families can contact and arrange
directly, according to their individual needs and preferences.
We will continue to review this topic and explore whether a different
model or revised criteria could make an organised service viable in
the future.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback. If you
have further input you would like us to consider, please feel free to
get in touch.
Kind regards,
The RIPE Meeting Organisation Team
