As families prepare for the school summer holidays, it is revealed that holiday childcare is getting more expensive in the North West.

Many parents will struggle to meet the costs of childcare and face a challenging summer trying to ensure that their children are looked after while schools are closed. Many parents continue to grapple with the difficult decision over whether it is cost effective to work after having children.

Parents in the North West have seen holiday childcare prices increase by 3 per cent in a single year, so it now costs an average of £126 a week. Only 41 per cent of councils in the North West say they have sufficient childcare in all areas for parents working full time. The challenge for parents of disabled children is even worse, with only 14 per cent of councils having sufficient provision.

The next Labour Government will provide universal, high quality, affordable childcare for every family, including 30 hours of free childcare a week for every 2 to 4 year old.

Angela Rayner MP, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on the Family and Childcare Trust's Holiday Childcare Survey 2018, said: “It is clear that this Tory Government is failing to deliver affordable childcare for families across the North West.

“This is a problem across the country, yet Ministers are doing absolutely nothing to tackle the problem.

“The Government’s failure to provide free, high-quality childcare to those who need it will leave many parents locked out of the workplace.”

Originally Posted by roving-eye

Many parents will struggle to meet the costs of childcare and face a challenging summer trying to ensure that their children are looked after while schools are closed. Many parents continue to grapple with the difficult decision over whether it is cost effective to work after having children.

The next Labour Government will provide universal, high quality, affordable childcare for every family, including 30 hours of free childcare a week for every 2 to 4 year old.

Angela Rayner MP, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on the Family and Childcare Trust's Holiday Childcare Survey 2018, said: “It is clear that this Tory Government is failing to deliver affordable childcare for families across the North West.

Perhaps parents should share the burden, 10 families get together, each take 1 day off (annual leave) every 2 week to look after the kids would mean they would only use up 3 days of annual leave.

30 hours of free child care to kids that don't go to school!!!!, seems like Labour want to penalise those families with kids aged 5 to 16, why not offer the 30 hours from aged 1 to 16 instead??

Finally, if you can't afford the child care, don't have kids.......

Responsible parents used to club together to mind each others' kids during school holidays. Can't see why the government should have to waste money on this.