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Clear Day Nurseries, which launched in 2005, also has facilities in Glengormley, Belfast, Dundonald, and Bangor, and employs more than 270 staff and caters for around 800 children.

Managing director Audrey McCracken said the nursery was delighted to have been recognised at UK level with the Top 20 Nurseries and Top 20 Nursery Group awards – for a sixth consecutive year.

"We work in partnership with parents and offer quality childcare from a very early age,” she said.

Celebrating Clear Day Nurseries’ prestigious UK industry awards for its childcare facilities are Sienna McLoughlin (2) and mum Nicole, Evelyn Verschuur, pre-school room leader and Daire O’Connor (4), at Kids@BT9 Daycare in Belfast. Credit: Matt Mackey

"We believe that every child deserves the best possible start in life and these awards reaffirm our commitment to delivering exceptional early years education. That’s why we invest a lot into the professional development of our exceptionally dedicated team.

"We’re also committed to keeping our nurseries above industry standard and we’re constantly evaluating the practices we have within our nurseries. It’s that combination of people and passion which has allowed us to continue to grow and expand our footprint across Northern Ireland.”

Jill McWilliams, Head of Operations, added that the awards represented “a wonderful achievement for a brilliant team who always go above and beyond”.

"Our ethos is very much about supporting the needs of individual children and this is reflected in the praise we get from parents when they’re reviewing our services,” she said.

Clear Day Nurseries’ managing director Audrey McCracken and head of operations Jill McAuley, with Daire O’Connor (4). Credit: Matt Mackey

"Parents and carers need high quality, affordable, trusted childcare, which is what we strive to provide.”

Business owner and mother Nicole McLaughlin, whose two-year-old daughter Sienna has a place at Kids@BT9 at Ulsterville Avenue in Belfast, described the nursery as “a home from home”.

"I wanted to know that my child was going to be looked after as well as she would be at home,” said Nicole.

"Sienna has some complex dietary needs, due to a health condition, and we feel that Clear Day Nurseries has really taken that on board,” she said.

Celebrating Clear Day Nurseries’ prestigious UK industry gongs for its childcare facilities are Daire O’Connor (4), Laura Vincent, nursery manager, at Kids@BT9 Daycare, Sienna McLoughlin (2) and Evelyn Verschuur, pre-school room leader. Credit: Matt Mackey

“The first months were very difficult but both the communication and the support we got from Clear Day Nurseries was unbelievable and it definitely gave me the confidence I needed to go back to work without constantly worrying about Sienna.”

Other childcare facilities in the group include Little Gems, Dundonald; Greendale, Glengormley; Holly House, Dollingstown; First Steps, Portadown; Clearly Kids, Lisburn; Clearly Kids, Belfast; and Clearly Kids, Bangor.

Clear Day Nurseries is consistently recognised as being in the top 20 day care facilities in the UK.

Clear Day Nurseries, with facilities in Lurgan, Portadown, Lisburn and Glengormley, lifts major UK childcare awards