ined ▁to ▁child mind ers ▁or ▁pre - school ▁workers . ▁The ▁BBC ▁published ▁a ▁supporting ▁hand book , ▁which ▁was ▁subs id ised ▁by ▁the ▁Health ▁Education ▁Council ▁and ▁distributed ▁free ▁by ▁social - services ▁depart ments ▁to ▁all ▁registered ▁child mind ers ▁throughout ▁the ▁country . ▁The ▁N CC ▁was ▁int imately ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁the ▁series ▁and ▁the ▁hand book . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁final ▁programme , ▁the ▁idea ▁that ▁view ing ▁groups ▁or ▁local ▁child mind ers ▁might ▁un ite ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Child m inding ▁Association ▁in ▁B irmingham ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁the ▁first ▁Child ▁Care ▁Switch board ▁experiment ▁began . ▁Fund ed ▁by ▁the ▁Cal ou ste ▁Gul ben k ian ▁Foundation , ▁the ▁switch board ▁used ▁N CC ▁staff ▁and ▁the ▁resources ▁of ▁radio ▁stations ▁in ▁six ▁large ▁UK ▁cities ▁to ▁help ▁reduce ▁child ▁ab use . ▁Switch boards ▁took ▁calls ▁from ▁anyone ▁with ▁concerns ▁( or ▁questions ) ▁about ▁child ▁care . ▁Re ass urance , ▁advice , ▁and ▁help ▁was ▁available ▁from ▁a ▁team ▁of ▁professional ▁advis ers ▁with ▁access ▁to ▁a ▁data ▁bank ▁of ▁special ists . ▁The ▁experiment ▁was ▁rep licated ▁in ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁with ▁the ▁country ' s ▁Care ▁For ▁K ids ▁care line . ▁▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁purchase ▁of ▁a ▁former ▁Brad ford ▁double - de cker ▁bus ▁saw ▁the ▁introduction ▁of