Families face summer holiday childcare shortages as bill rises to over £1,000

The cost of childcare over the school summer holidays is now more than £1,000 per child on average, a survey has suggested.

Fewer than a fifth of local authorities in England have enough holiday childcare provision for full-time working parents and costs have risen since last year, according to the Coram Family and Childcare charity.

It found families in the UK pay on average £1,049 for six weeks of holiday childcare for a school-age child, which is £635 more than they would pay for six weeks of after-school childcare during term time.

The research, based on surveys from local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales between April and June, suggests the cost of holiday childcare has risen by 6% on last year.

The average cost of a place at a holiday club in the UK is now approximately £175 per week – 2.5 times higher than the cost of an after-school club during term time, the charity said.

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

Wales has the highest weekly price at £209, followed by England at £173 and Scotland at £167.

Availability of provision in England has fallen this year, the survey found, with just 17% of local authorities reporting that they have enough holiday childcare for parents working full-time “in all areas” compared to 24% in 2023.

In England, just 3% of local authorities said they had enough holiday childcare for disabled children in all areas.

Working parents also face a huge disparity in price and availability of holiday childcare places depending on where they live in the UK, the report found.

Families in the south east of England pay an average of £216 per week – which is 23% more than the national average across the UK, while in central London families pay an average of £153 a week.

In March 2023, then-chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that eligible families of children as young as nine months in England would be able to claim 30 hours of funded childcare a week by September 2025.

Working parents of two-year-olds in England have been able to access 15 hours of funded childcare during term time since April as part of a staggered rollout of the Government’s childcare expansion.

This is due to be extended to working parents of all children older than nine months from September this year, before the full rollout of 30 hours a week to all eligible families a year later.

The charity is calling on the Government to extend funding to support working families and carers with childcare during the school holidays.

The report concluded there is a “clear gap in childcare provision during school holidays and a pattern of increased costs and low availability of places, particularly for children with Send”.

It added: “The additional investment in funded early education places and wraparound childcare is very welcome, and has the potential to make a real difference to children and families during term-time, but not including school holidays means it is still impractical for many parents to work, and leaves others facing unaffordable costs every school holiday.”

Councils work closely with providers to improve access to holiday childcare provision for children with Send but without concerted investment and recruitment of quality staff this will be difficult to deliver

Ellen Broome, managing director of the charity, said: “Too many families dread the 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.

“And 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 (Send).”

Coram is calling on the Government to expand provision of school holiday activity and food programmes, and provide more funding to holiday childcare providers to meet the needs of children with Send.

A Local Government Association (LGA) spokesperson said: “Access to holiday childcare provision is vital for families and can have a positive benefit on the development of children.

“While councils recognise the importance of ensuring there is sufficient provision available for children with Send, it can be difficult to ensure the right provision is available, particularly given the challenging situation that many providers face at the moment.

“Councils work closely with providers to improve access to holiday childcare provision for children with Send but without concerted investment and recruitment of quality staff this will be difficult to deliver.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Too often, childcare is unavailable or unaffordable, particularly for disadvantaged children or those with additional needs, and we are determined to rebuild opportunity for every child.

“Local authorities are expected to offer the equivalent of six weeks of holiday activities and food programme provision, which provides meals, activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families.”