UNIVERSITY students are being urged to sign up as nannies for working parents to help tackle a 'crisis' in childcare.

A new campaign aims to link parents with students available for childcare or babysitting.

James Pinniger, who helped to launch Student Nannies, said the idea would help students struggling with tuition fees and rising costs as well as parents wanting to get back to work.

Some 60 students are signed up so far in Oxfordshire, as well as about 30 parents, the company said today.

Mr Pinniger added: "There are over two million students studying at UK higher education institutions.

"If just one per cent of them signed up to Student Nannies it could help more than 20,000 families with their childcare.

"Our network of students can work flexibly to help parents with the challenges of after-school care, babysitting and school holiday cover.

"By making it easier for parents to hold down demanding jobs we are boosting the economy, and by networking with professional parents through our community, students can gain career contacts, insights and mentors, helping them to kick-start their careers and get into the workplace themselves."

The company already has over 1,000 parents and students signed up, mainly in London and the home counties, but is aiming to extend to other parts of the UK.

European students currently studying in the UK are proving very popular with parents because of their language skills.

For information visit studentnannies.com