Rising childcare costs

You could be earning £148 per week per child, report finds

The report from the Coram Family and Childcare’s 17^th annual holiday childcare survey shows a 5% increase in childcare costs this year which is over double what parents pay for after-school clubs during term time.

Due to the recent rise in costs of living, childcarers have to increase their rates, especially over the summer holidays. Over 2022, child care costs have been, on average, at £148 per week per school child. However, this is also an average and can vary considerably based on region. For example, parents in London can pay an average of £161 per week, whereas the West Midlands would pay £135 per week.

Over the current summer holidays, child carers have earned £900 per school child for the six weeks of summer holiday care. Many new workers in the industry have enrolled on their courses, ready for the summer holidays this year. Now is a perfect time to prepare for the summer holidays of 2023 by starting a year-long diploma, ready to earn £900 per child, with the fees possibly rising by next year.

See below the average holiday childcare per week for each country in the UK and each region in England.

Availability of childcare in the UK

Parents have also mentioned how they struggle to find the right childcare, with only 27% of English Local Childcare Authorities having enough care available for parents who work full time, down from six per cent the year before. However, it’s harder for those with disabled children who are facing the biggest challenge, with only 7% of childcare places for these families, which has dropped significantly from 16% in 2021.

Other prominent gaps in England include the holiday childcare for children with guardians who work off-peak hours as well as those living in rural areas, with only 10% and 15% of local authorities respectively reporting that they have enough availability for these groups.

Ellen Broomé, managing director of Coram Family and Childcare, said: “Holiday childcare is key economic infrastructure. The lack of childcare places for working parents is a serious problem – not just for families but for the country’s economic output. Children have experienced such disruption throughout the pandemic, and holiday childcare offers them a safe and fun space to stay active and connect with their friends while also helping to tackle the summer learning loss.”

Lack of qualifications

Coram Family and Childcare have also noted how the impact of the coronavirus pandemic still affects childcare recruitment, with most local authorities struggling to find staff with the required qualifications. So it isn’t surprising to discover that 30% of local authorities thought that quality had reduced significantly since the pandemic. As a result, many settings have tried different strategies such as increasing costs and lowering ratios to stay open.

Now is the best time to get into a demanding industry with highly decent salaries.

The Holiday Childcare Survey 2022 is based on surveys from local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales, which were returned to Coram Family and Childcare between April and June 2022.