Nursery World - Summer holiday childcare costs forcing parents to take unpaid leave

Almost half of parents will have to take unpaid leave during the summer due to a lack of availability of childcare and ‘soaring’ costs as fees rise by 5 per cent in a year, reveals new research.

The cost and lack of availability of summer holiday childcare is preventing parents from working - finds survey, PHOTO Adobe Stock

The findings are taken from a survey of 27,000 parents by Pregnant Than Screwed and the latest Coram Family and Childcare’s annual Holiday Childcare Survey on the cost and availability of childcare over the summer holidays – launched at the same time.

The data from campaigner Pregnant Then Screwed, reveals one in eight parents using formal childcare over the summer expect to spend more than £2,000 over the period.

According to Coram Family and Childcare, the average cost of a holiday club place is now £148 a week – more than double what parents pay for an after-school club during term-time. It finds that families will be almost £900 out of pocket for six weeks of holiday childcare for each school age child, nearly £500 more than what they would pay for six weeks childcare before and after school.

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