With children returning to school soon for the autumn term, it is the time of year many parents consider the benefits of returning to work.

Su Cheetham, manager of the TEC Centres which provide computer training and career advice, says there are three factors that often inhibit returners to learning or employment.

She said: "The main issues we find people have are with childcare, particularly the lack of local facilities and the cost, low confidence after being out of the job market for a period of time, and feeling that they are out of touch with the changes in technology."

The Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council recently launched a new service to help employers with the childcare issue, helping to overcome staff shortages, and get more people back to work. Steven Laurence, who is on secondment to the TEC from Oxfordshire Social Services said: "Many employers are finding there are huge benefits from adopting family friendly policies, from running flexible working hours to setting up a workplace nursery or supporting a childminders' network."

Mr Laurence said: "Flexible approaches to recruitment and retention of staff give the employer greater access to a pool of people that would otherwise not be available for work because of domestic commitments. There are many training options for people returning to work, offered by the TEC free of charge under the Training for Work programme."

The TEC Centres also offer expert advice on compiling a CV, performing well in interviews and a wide range of computer training that is run on a flexible open learning basis.

Recently they launched their guide to training courses on the Internet. The website address for the new service is www.serif.org.co.uk

Ms Cheetham added: "Those without access to the Internet can still get details by telephoning the TEC Centres at Oxford, Abingdon, Banbury or Witney and we will look up the courses for them."

For further details on childcare help and training available in Oxfordshire please contact 01235 468100, and for further details the TEC Centres contact freephone 0800 888 500.