Squeeze on childcare and availability
Parents are facing a double squeeze of expensive childcare costs and patchy availability this summer, research has found.
Across Britain, typical costs are 5 per cent higher than in 2019, according to charity Coram Family and Childcare, which looked at school holiday childcare provision for youngsters aged four to 14.
It found the average place at a holiday club now costs around £145 per week - more than double what parents pay for an after-school club during term time.
Parents face a "postcode lottery" in finding affordable childcare, the research found.
Prices in Scotland were found to be slightly lower than in Wales, with those in Scotland also being considerably less expensive than in England.
Families may also struggle to find the childcare they need, with only a third (33 per cent) of English local authorities reporting enough holiday childcare available for parents
in their area who work fulltime, according to the report.
A third (33 per cent) of local authorities across Britain also reported a decrease in the number of holiday childcare places available, potentially as a result of the pressures on the sector from the coronavirus pandemic.
This raises significant concerns about whether there will be enough childcare places if demand reverts to pre-pandemic levels in the coming months, the charity said.
Megan Jarvie, head of Coram Family and Childcare, said: "As the country plans to rebuild from 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 outof-school
childcare for every child who needs it, we are at risk of seeing parents – and mothers in particular – struggle to keep working."