Advertisement
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: Just £9.99 for the next 8 weeks
SUBSCRIBE
Social Justice

Summer holiday childcare costs surge to more than £1,000 per child: 'Stressed out to the max'

More than one in three families 'dread' the summer holidays because of childcare costs, as prices soar again this year in spite of inflation and the cost of living crisis easing

child drawing

Working parents are often forced to find childcare over the summer holidays, and that can be extortionate. Image: Unsplash

Families across the country are “dreading” the summer holidays as childcare costs have risen again this year, new research has revealed.

Coram Family and Childcare’s latest annual holiday childcare survey found that families are now spending an average of £175 each week on childcare per child.

That works out at more than £1,000 over the six-week break and is up by 6% on last year.

A place at a holiday club now costs 2.5 times more than an after-school club during term time. It means families are paying £635 more on childcare in the summer holidays than for six weeks of after-school childcare during term time.

Ellen Broomé, managing director of Coram Family and Childcare, said: “Too many families dread onset of the summer holidays. Rather than a time for families to rest, play and have fun together, many parents worry about how to pay for holiday childcare during the long summer break.”

Meanwhile, research also released this week from Unicef UK has found that more than one in three families (38%) “dread” the summer holidays because of the financial strain it puts on families.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Around 62% of families say that childcare – not just in the summer holidays but more widely – is one of the biggest challenges facing parents.

One parent said: “I am a single parent. The costs of living make it a constant struggle to afford basic living necessities. My money all goes on my child. I’ve worked all my life, but as a single parent providing for a child has been made basically impossible. These days you now need two incomes to run a household, and family help. I have neither.”



Nearly 90% of parents are worried for their children’s future life chances, and two thirds (66%) have said the cost of living crisis has negatively impacted their families.

Unicef UK’s survey shows that despite the increase in childcare funding from the last government, it does not go far enough to reverse years of under investment in early education.

Joanna Rea, director of advocacy for Unicef UK said: “Behind these numbers are real parents skipping meals, worrying about making ends meet, and children going without the essentials they need, starting school already behind their peers, and growing up in stressed and stretched households with parents struggling every day.

“But this can change, and it can be different. Investment in children, families, and the early years sector will not only transform the lives of millions living on low incomes, helping children to get a fair start in life that sets them up with the skills they need to succeed, but it will also benefit all children and everyone in society.”

Advertisement

More than half of parents (57%) say that the stress of juggling work and summer childcare is having a negative impact on their career, according to new findings from Koru Kids.

When asked how it is impacting their work, six in 10 (60%) said that they always feel tired, nearly two in five (36%) feel they are constantly behind on their work, and a third (28%) feel that others are more likely to get promoted as a result of them being more productive.

Almost half a million families are set to hit “peak stress levels” in mid August because of the struggles of balancing childcare alongside work.

Rachel Carrell, founder of Koru Kids, said: “The summer holidays is knocking the wind out of parents sails across the country. Meanwhile, the government’s childcare policies seem to ignore the pressures of the holidays completely.

“There are 13 weeks of school holidays in the UK and, on average, just six weeks of leave available to parents. As a result, parents are stressed to the max, out of pocket financially and losing out on precious time together as a family as parents pool together to try and cover as much childcare as possible in these six long summer weeks.”

Coram Family and Childcare’s research shows that holiday childcare is more expensive in some areas of the country. Wales has seen a 15% rise in holiday childcare costs over the last year, with families now paying £209 per week on average.

Advertisement

In Yorkshire and Humber, holiday childcare costs have risen by 13% to £174 per week.

The most expensive holiday childcare is in the south east of England, where it will cost the average family £216 per week. Yet costs varies between the regions, with the lowest costs reported in inner London, at £153 per week.

Coram Family and Childcare’s report also found a growing shortage of holiday childcare, with falls across all categories of provision in England over the last year.

Just 3% of councils reporting enough holiday childcare for disabled children, and the same proportion say there is enough provision for parents working atypical hours.

The biggest decrease is for parents working full time, which is down from 24% to 17%.

Broomé added: “With ever growing shortages of available childcare, finding a place will be a challenge this summer, particularly for children with special educational needs and disabilities. The new government has a real opportunity to change the experience of school-aged children and families during the school breaks.

Advertisement

“Full reform will take time, but meeting the needs of disadvantaged children and those with SEND should be an early priority, followed by reform of the system to provide the year-round support that families need.”

Coram Family and Childcare is calling on the government to provide additional funding, training and support to holiday childcare providers to meet the needs of children with SEND.

It also wants more provision for older children, those in rural areas and for parents who work atypical hours.

The charity is urging the government to extend the holiday activities and food programme, which provides free childcare and food to children on free school meals and is currently due to end in March 2025.

It additionally suggests that free childcare provision be extended to 48 weeks per year, and for the eligibility criteria to be expanded so that is not only available for working families – so that disadvantaged children get the same opportunities as their more affluent peers.

Koru Kids is also calling for childcare to be expanded further. Carrell said: “Childcare funding needs to be available all year round, not just in term time, and at rates that make holiday care affordable for families.”

Advertisement

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us moreBig Issue exists to give homeless and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy of the magazine or get the app from the App Store or Google Play.

Advertisement

Buy a Big Issue Vendor Support Kit

This Christmas, give a Big Issue vendor the tools to keep themselves warm, dry, fed, earning and progressing.

Recommended for you

View all
‘Common sense and humanity’: Home Office doubles time given to refugees before eviction from asylum hotels
a tent on the street
Refugee homelessness

‘Common sense and humanity’: Home Office doubles time given to refugees before eviction from asylum hotels

Olympic boxer Cindy Ngamba: 'I want to show the world that refugees can do anything'
Refugee boxer Cindy Ngamba
Sport

Olympic boxer Cindy Ngamba: 'I want to show the world that refugees can do anything'

'We didn't know where to go': What's it's like being pregnant, a refugee and homeless at Christmas
Refugee homelessness

'We didn't know where to go': What's it's like being pregnant, a refugee and homeless at Christmas

Two-child benefit cap to be scrapped in Scotland as Labour challenged to 'step up' and follow suit
keir starmer and john swinney
Two-child benefit cap

Two-child benefit cap to be scrapped in Scotland as Labour challenged to 'step up' and follow suit

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know
4.

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know