Families struggle with holiday childcare costs

Working families are being penalised because of the increasing cost of summer holiday childcare, many parents and campaigners say.

Wales has the highest average weekly price for holiday childcare in the UK this year, research by the Coram Family and Childcare charity suggests.

Mother-of-two Kate Shivers-Poole from Treorchy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said childcare had a fantastic effect on her son's development, but sending her children there every day during the holidays and working full-time would be "pointless".

The Welsh government said it has funded childcare hours for three and four year olds covered 48 weeks a year, compared with 38 in England.

Ms Shivers-Poole's children, who are five and 10, attend Dylan's Den in the Rhondda valley.

"During the holidays, if I was going to put both my children in the club it would cost me just short of £1,000 for three weeks," she said.

"It would be absolutely pointless in me going to work if I were to do that for a full five days each week."

She added it was when her son started childcare that he began to speak for the first time and she feels working families could be losing out on these opportunities due to lack of support.

The club's founder, Kathryn Williams, believes working parents should be supported with the cost of childcare provision up until their child is 11.

"The big cost in childcare settings is that of staff and we are mandated in terms of the amount of staff we need to have," she said.

"We have the 30 hours childcare offer which has been frozen for three years, despite a galloping cost of living, [which] makes it very expensive.

"It makes it hard for providers to make ends meet and it's very difficult for parents as well."

She added extending the support would make "an enormous difference" for parents.

The cost of holiday childcare in the UK has risen 6% since last year, according to a survey by Coram Family and Childcare, in Wales data suggests that costs have risen by 15%.

Wales had the highest weekly price at £209, compared with England where the average weekly cost for this summer was £173.

Sarah White, a play worker at Dylan's Den, said both her daughters attended the out-of-school care provision, which allows her to work.

"There's a massive social benefit for children coming here for the six weeks. Massive benefits developmentally and emotionally," Ms White said.

Alison Davies often relies on her parents to help with childcare during term-time but her son attends Dylan's Den during the holidays.

"Connor, my little boy, he loves it here. He loves the staff and the activities they do.

"You know it is a lot because it's half a day's wage for me to put him in here for the day"

Clybiau Plant Cymru, which represents the out-of-school childcare sector, echoed the praise for the benefits of play opportunities for children.

Its chief executive, Jane O'Toole, said parents with children in registered care settings were able to access various types of help, such as tax-free childcare and the childcare element of Universal Credit.

Campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed said it too recognised the benefits of childcare for young children and had called for an overhaul of the childcare offer in Wales, so that childcare costs were determined by a family's income rather than the number of hours of childcare they required.

The Welsh government said "affordable, available and accessible childcare helps parents to work, supporting our drive to increase economic growth, tackle poverty and reduce inequalities".

It added its childcare offer provided 30 hours of funded childcare a week for up to 48 weeks a year, covering three and four-year-olds of eligible parents including those in education or training.

"This includes some holiday provision [and] is compared to 38 weeks of the year in England, for working parents only.

"During the summer holidays we are funding the Playworks scheme, which provides high-quality play, and the Food and Fun scheme will be available in every local authority area," it said.