Parents face a ‘double squeeze’ on childcare this summer

Coram Family and Childcare has warned that British parents face a ‘double squeeze’ of expensive childcare costs and patchy availability this summer.

The charity’s 16th annual survey finds that there has been a five per cent rise in costs since the survey was last carried out in 2019. The average place at a holiday club now costs £145 per week - more than double what parents pay for an after school club during term time.

Alongside this financial strain, parents may also struggle to find the childcare they need, with only 33% of English local authorities reporting enough holiday childcare available for parents in their area who work full time.

The report also reveals that a third of all local authorities in Britain have reported a decrease in the number of holiday childcare places available, potentially as a result of the pressures on the sector from the pandemic. This raises significant concerns about whether there will be enough childcare places if demand rises back to pre-pandemic levels in the coming months and echo recent research by the TUC which found nearly two-thirds of working mothers do not have enough childcare for the school holidays.

Coram Family and Childcare says that parents in the South West are paying up to 19 per cent more for holiday places than parents in the North West. The report also highlights extreme shortages in holiday childcare for disabled children, with only 16 per cent of local authorities in England reporting that they have enough.

Megan Jarvie, head of Coram Family and Childcare, said: “As the country plans to rebuild from the the pandemic, it is vital that children and young people are placed at the centre of this recovery. Holiday childcare will be crucial for giving children a safe and fun space to catch-up on lost learning and connect with peers – but this year more than ever parents are likely to struggle to find the childcare they need to be able to keep working and for their children to have fun and stay safe.

“Rising costs and falling availability means that they are facing a double squeeze as they search for childcare they can afford that meets their needs. Without action to make sure there is affordable out of school childcare for every child who needs it, we are at risk of seeing parents – and mothers in particular – struggle to keep working.”