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Childcare?

By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

Will we ever have free or affordable childcare for babies and toddlers in this country?

My work has made me aware of the work local groups are doing with baby and toddler stay and play groups etc. and I’m in the library today working and seen a stay and play group. My question is, should the Govt be providing free/ affordable childcare for babies and toddlers? From the age of like 6 months?

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By *ora the explorerWoman over a year ago

Paradise, Herts

"Will we ever have free or affordable childcare for babies and toddlers in this country?

I thought they did now for a few hours a day? Could be wrong though, that all started once I didn’t need it anymore

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By *emorefridaCouple over a year ago

La la land

I remember when I had my two in nursery. Even though I'm on a decent wage I was only making £100 a month. But could ill afford the career break. Luckily was only for a year but it's crazy how much it costs.

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By *nightsoftheCoffeeTableCouple over a year ago

Leeds

Childcare is ridiculous and totally priced me out of returning back to work and I do have a decent career I worked hard for.

I decided to become my own boss as it was the only solution, childcare in the UK is ridiculously expensive.

Mrs

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By *illy IdolMan over a year ago

Midlands

For parents who both work I'd say so. Needs to be an incentive to go back to work

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"Will we ever have free or affordable childcare for babies and toddlers in this country?

I thought they did now for a few hours a day? Could be wrong though, that all started once I didn’t need it anymore

I think the govt announced that from next year they would be providing childcare from 1 but don’t think it’s going to be available for free for parents that are working.

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By *ora the explorerWoman over a year ago

Paradise, Herts

"Childcare is ridiculous and totally priced me out of returning back to work and I do have a decent career I worked hard for.

I decided to become my own boss as it was the only solution, childcare in the UK is ridiculously expensive.

Mrs "

That’s what I did. I worked in a bank for 20 years but couldn’t do it anymore. Starting my own business was the best thing I ever did though so it worked well for me but the cost of childcare is ridiculous and not worth it for many.

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"I remember when I had my two in nursery. Even though I'm on a decent wage I was only making £100 a month. But could ill afford the career break. Luckily was only for a year but it's crazy how much it costs."

Christ

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By *ora the explorerWoman over a year ago

Paradise, Herts

"Will we ever have free or affordable childcare for babies and toddlers in this country?

I thought they did now for a few hours a day? Could be wrong though, that all started once I didn’t need it anymore

I think the govt announced that from next year they would be providing childcare from 1 but don’t think it’s going to be available for free for parents that are working. "

Ah I see.

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"Childcare is ridiculous and totally priced me out of returning back to work and I do have a decent career I worked hard for.

I decided to become my own boss as it was the only solution, childcare in the UK is ridiculously expensive.

Mrs "

I still can’t believe it. Living in London and paying for childcare? Feels like you have to be a millionaire

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By *ora the explorerWoman over a year ago

Paradise, Herts

"Childcare is ridiculous and totally priced me out of returning back to work and I do have a decent career I worked hard for.

I decided to become my own boss as it was the only solution, childcare in the UK is ridiculously expensive.

Mrs

I still can’t believe it. Living in London and paying for childcare? Feels like you have to be a millionaire

I don’t know how you do it in London! Bad enough on the outskirts

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By *illy IdolMan over a year ago

Midlands

"Childcare is ridiculous and totally priced me out of returning back to work and I do have a decent career I worked hard for.

I decided to become my own boss as it was the only solution, childcare in the UK is ridiculously expensive.

Mrs

I still can’t believe it. Living in London and paying for childcare? Feels like you have to be a millionaire

It's a second mortgage

I'm lucky I have good grandparents around to do a couple of days

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"Childcare is ridiculous and totally priced me out of returning back to work and I do have a decent career I worked hard for.

I decided to become my own boss as it was the only solution, childcare in the UK is ridiculously expensive.

Mrs

I still can’t believe it. Living in London and paying for childcare? Feels like you have to be a millionaire

I don’t know how you do it in London! Bad enough on the outskirts "

Nora I don’t.

But we do what we have to to survive right?

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"Childcare is ridiculous and totally priced me out of returning back to work and I do have a decent career I worked hard for.

I decided to become my own boss as it was the only solution, childcare in the UK is ridiculously expensive.

Mrs

I still can’t believe it. Living in London and paying for childcare? Feels like you have to be a millionaire

It's a second mortgage

I'm lucky I have good grandparents around to do a couple of days"

Family members can be a Godsend sometimes

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By *ora the explorerWoman over a year ago

Paradise, Herts

"Childcare is ridiculous and totally priced me out of returning back to work and I do have a decent career I worked hard for.

I decided to become my own boss as it was the only solution, childcare in the UK is ridiculously expensive.

Mrs

I still can’t believe it. Living in London and paying for childcare? Feels like you have to be a millionaire

I don’t know how you do it in London! Bad enough on the outskirts

Nora I don’t.

But we do what we have to to survive right?"

We certainly do. It is getting ridiculous though

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By *uri00620Woman over a year ago

Croydon

I work 3 days a week. That's it.

Childcare for 1 child (childminder, not even nursery) £945

Unsustainable. Last year I worked full time and I was no better off financially bc of it. Consequently I'm thinking of another plan

The free hours come too late. That would be a life saver for me

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By *ickshawedCouple over a year ago

Wolverhampton

I don't know if it will ever be free. I'd like to think it'll be subsided and more affordable one day. I remember when I had two at nursery before any free hours kicked in, the fees were twice my mortgage. There was no way I was leaving my job though.

It's a very hard few years. One of the reasons I was glad to have my youngest in the summer. He went to school just after turning 4 and nurseries were a thing of the past

Now it's just school holidays that are horrendously expensive

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By *ad NannaWoman over a year ago

East London

I'm going to be that woman, Pickle, that says I don't think children that young should be being looked after by anyone other than a parent or close relative, for long periods.

My daughter was telling me last week of an article she read about effects on children when they aren't with the mother or nurturer in the first few years of their lives.

I know some people do need to go back to work as soon as maternity leave ends, and it's very costly, but the Government assumes lots of people have grandparents to do the job for free.

It would be good if places of work had free crèches but there's no money for that.

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"I don't know if it will ever be free. I'd like to think it'll be subsided and more affordable one day. I remember when I had two at nursery before any free hours kicked in, the fees were twice my mortgage. There was no way I was leaving my job though.

It's a very hard few years. One of the reasons I was glad to have my youngest in the summer. He went to school just after turning 4 and nurseries were a thing of the past

Now it's just school holidays that are horrendously expensive

My daughter is born in September. So although she’s 3 now, still got Two years essentially until school.

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By *ad NannaWoman over a year ago

East London

"I work 3 days a week. That's it.

Childcare for 1 child (childminder, not even nursery) £945

Unsustainable. Last year I worked full time and I was no better off financially bc of it. Consequently I'm thinking of another plan

The free hours come too late. That would be a life saver for me"

It's a ridiculous situation, and worse for single people who don't have family to help out.

I've been a free or very cheap childcare provider for my for a very long time and I've probably still got another 10 years of it, even though I'm really not physically well enough to do it.

I'll have to though, and sod the consequences.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I think if people truly want or need it, we should try to make it available

But I think a large amount of people, mothers in particular, would much rather look after their own children and we should be looking at why life has gotten so expensive most families can’t afford a stay at home parent

Parents raising their children was the norm not long ago. Wage inequality and rising cost of goods had made that a privilege many can’t afford and I think it’s a disgrace that people are choosing working over looking after their not our or choice and not even for a particularly higher standard of living

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"I'm going to be that woman, Pickle, that says I don't think children that young should be being looked after by anyone other than a parent or close relative, for long periods.

My daughter was telling me last week of an article she read about effects on children when they aren't with the mother or nurturer in the first few years of their lives.

I know some people do need to go back to work as soon as maternity leave ends, and it's very costly, but the Government assumes lots of people have grandparents to do the job for free.

It would be good if places of work had free crèches but there's no money for that.

Then I think essentially people can’t have children. Or have to quit work in order to have a child. And living on one income isn’t east or possible. What a depressing reality

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"I work 3 days a week. That's it.

Childcare for 1 child (childminder, not even nursery) £945

Unsustainable. Last year I worked full time and I was no better off financially bc of it. Consequently I'm thinking of another plan

The free hours come too late. That would be a life saver for me"

God I’m sorry

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By *uri00620Woman over a year ago

Croydon

[Removed by poster at 03/10/23 11:09:29]

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By *uri00620Woman over a year ago

Croydon

"I work 3 days a week. That's it.

Childcare for 1 child (childminder, not even nursery) £945

Unsustainable. Last year I worked full time and I was no better off financially bc of it. Consequently I'm thinking of another plan

The free hours come too late. That would be a life saver for me

It's a ridiculous situation, and worse for single people who don't have family to help out.

I've been a free or very cheap childcare provider for my for a very long time and I've probably still got another 10 years of it, even though I'm really not physically well enough to do it.

I'll have to though, and sod the consequences.

Yes as a single parent it's insane, that's my situation too! I love being at home with my baby 2 days don't get me wrong but I have a job thats crying out for staff as people are leaving in droves and I want to be there. There's no joined up thinking here at all.

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By *icecouple561Couple over a year ago
Forum Mod

East Sussex

Childcare is hugely undervalued. Nobody is happy to pay someone what they're truly worth to look after our children. Not the government or parents.

Its going to be costly to work and raise a child, I sympathise. I chose to work evenings and weekends so we didn't need to pay anyone. I know not everyone has that luxury.

A friend asked me if I'd look after her son while she returned to her teaching job but she felt that paying me to do it wasn't something she was keen to do because I was 'only' at home with my children anyway. The irony of her spending all day with other people's children for pay while I looked after hers for nothing didn't escape me

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By *emorefridaCouple over a year ago

La la land

Christ

But long term it was worth it, I'm high enough now to work flexible days. So I can take them to football or what have you, be there when they arrive back at school. Plus even though I was paying that much I was still adding to my pension etc.

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By *ee04Man over a year ago

Essex

The rules change all the time, should child care be free? To me it depends, I worked nights when my kids were small, home from work make them all breakfast (had 3 all within 5 years). Wife would get up get herself ready for work and off she’d go. I’d then take them to school drop them off before going home to bed

Alarm set for 3pm, up out of bed to go collect them all from school. Get home make dinner for the family, wife get home sit down for dinner. Have family time, then kids to bed go to work.

My youngest didn’t think I worked took them ages to grasp it “daddy why don’t you go to work like mummy”? Eventually the penny dropped lol.

Weekends could be the worst as I worked any 5 from 7. If we had to do something I’d get home they’d all get up off we’d go as a family out all day back home I’d grab a couple of hour Kip then off to work again.

When I got a promotion and had to go on day shift my older 2 were old enough to have a key and sort themselves out. But we had to pay for after school for the youngest, we only needed it every other week due to my shift pattern. However we had to pay every week to keep their place even though they never went.

Should it be free, I think it depends on what you earn and should only be free for working parents when they are at work.

When my youngest was in after school club, there where single mums who has their children there who never worked but as they got it for free due to benefits used it so they had more time to themselves. This I think is a piss take and should not be allowed.

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By *elkieWoman over a year ago

Durham

I think there’s two parts to this. The evidence is absolutely consistent that early years education is important to child development and unfortunately, many families are unable to afford the cost of baby/toddler groups, which come with a hefty price tag these days. I spent most of my SAHM days running groups like this and government policies like closing sure start centres have absolutely had a harmful effect on children’s development - and on maternal mental health, and one of the biggest predictors of child wellbeing is postnatal depression. We need affordable activities for families to do with their children, as well as affordable childcare.

The second part is that ratios in childcare settings recently changed and kids are now getting a worse experience than previously, so we need to both decrease the ratios and pay nursery workers more.

And the third part is that people should not be unable to work if they don’t have family to care for their kids - or if their kids are disabled. The benefit to the economy (in taxes) from providing free childcare from birth onwards so parents can work would outweigh the costs, and would also eradicate the gender pay gap. It causes so much tension and resentment in society because families who desperately need that help with childcare don’t qualify under current schemes. It needs to be free across the board and full time, not part time.

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By *ink vixenCouple over a year ago

Medway

So if you choose to go out and work to increase a joint income so you can buy a bigger house and a nicer car then I the tax payer should fund that with free childcare?

Nah.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I think there is a lot more help now than when my boys were little but I understand its not always easy to access.

I still remember the summer holidays when I had to take out a bank loan to cover the child care costs which almost doubled when schools closed.

Its really difficult to navigate especially if you are also a single parent or don't have any family around you to help.

I got through those years and years by the time my eldest was 13 he was helping look after his little brothers so I could work overtime because I apparently made too much for any sort of help!

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By *uri00620Woman over a year ago

Croydon

"I think there’s two parts to this. The evidence is absolutely consistent that early years education is important to child development and unfortunately, many families are unable to afford the cost of baby/toddler groups, which come with a hefty price tag these days. I spent most of my SAHM days running groups like this and government policies like closing sure start centres have absolutely had a harmful effect on children’s development - and on maternal mental health, and one of the biggest predictors of child wellbeing is postnatal depression. We need affordable activities for families to do with their children, as well as affordable childcare.

The second part is that ratios in childcare settings recently changed and kids are now getting a worse experience than previously, so we need to both decrease the ratios and pay nursery workers more.

This. I live in Croydon. Famously skint they have shut down child services in the main. What's left is woeful. I have a childs centre 10 mins away but they can't afford the staff. I used to go to a neighboring borough but they now don't accept out of borough postcodes. I'm glad when mine was very little I was able to take her to those though. I'll miss them now over winter esp on my days off as we'll just be on our own and paying for classes just isn't an option. It's a very sad situation.

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By *aomilatteCouple over a year ago

Visiting Blackpool

"Will we ever have free or affordable childcare for babies and toddlers in this country?

Should people who pay taxes but don't have children contribute towards childcare? We'll have a think about that one. We provided our own childcare, it was us.

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By *a LunaWoman over a year ago

South Wales

When I first returned to work after my first my childcare costs were more than my take home wages. If it hadn’t been for Tax Credits paying 70% odd (back then) of the childcare costs I would have had to give up work.

No idea what the costs are now - I dread to think!

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By (user no longer on site) OP over a year ago

"Will we ever have free or affordable childcare for babies and toddlers in this country?

Should people who pay taxes but don't have children contribute towards childcare? We'll have a think about that one. We provided our own childcare, it was us."

I say yes. Seems like a better solution to aging populations to increasing the pension age. I’d gladly pay childcare costs for others. Society needs children?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Will we ever have free or affordable childcare for babies and toddlers in this country?

Should people who pay taxes but don't have children contribute towards childcare? We'll have a think about that one. We provided our own childcare, it was us."

Because it creates a better society as a whole

It’s the same reason your taxes fix roads you never drive on, or pay someone’s UC that you’re never claimed

That’s how society works. We collectively take a small hit so individually we don’t take a big hit

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By *uri00620Woman over a year ago

Croydon

"Will we ever have free or affordable childcare for babies and toddlers in this country?

Should people who pay taxes but don't have children contribute towards childcare? We'll have a think about that one. We provided our own childcare, it was us.

I say yes. Seems like a better solution to aging populations to increasing the pension age. I’d gladly pay childcare costs for others. Society needs children?"

This, also the 'why should i?' in itself is seriously problematic. Where do you draw the line? I didn't have a doctor for over 12 years, was never ill, never needed any kind of treatment. Could I argue I shouldn't be paying tax to support NHS services, or claim back for those years i didn't use it? Arguably many are there bc of poor lifestyle decisions nowadays. So should those of us not using these services say 'fuck em', they brought that upon themselves? Where do you draw the line?

I'm happy to pay for childcare, i chose to have a child after all but it should not cost half of my salary and not working over working should never be the better financial option.

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By *wist my nipplesCouple over a year ago

North East Scotland, mostly

Scottish government are already pushing this. Where the money and infrastructure is coming from is another question, though!

I recently read Harriet Harman's autobiography. Hadn't realised she was such a trailblazer in this regard.

Affordable chilcarde is essential, yes, but also flexibility of setting. I know my working life has been hemmed in by nursery/childminder/school times.

Mrs TMN x

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By *hilloutMan over a year ago

All over the place! Northwesr, , Southwest

"I'm going to be that woman, Pickle, that says I don't think children that young should be being looked after by anyone other than a parent or close relative, for long periods.

My daughter was telling me last week of an article she read about effects on children when they aren't with the mother or nurturer in the first few years of their lives.

I know some people do need to go back to work as soon as maternity leave ends, and it's very costly, but the Government assumes lots of people have grandparents to do the job for free.

It would be good if places of work had free crèches but there's no money for that.

I remember having been told that in Germany maternity leave could last for as long as 3 years if need be?

I'd also agree that child minding with a parent (preferably) in the first few years is preferable than leaving them in the care of strangers (no matter how well qualified and apt).

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By *ehindHerEyesCouple over a year ago

SomewhereOnlyWeKnow

I used to pay 600 a month for after school only for my 2 that was half of my take home pay, im lucky i now have family that do it as theres no way i could afford that as a single parent now. it's just not affordable for some families to do yet the government are pushing parents to go out and work but not providing the help to

Tinder x

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"Childcare is ridiculous and totally priced me out of returning back to work and I do have a decent career I worked hard for.

I decided to become my own boss as it was the only solution, childcare in the UK is ridiculously expensive.

Mrs

I still can’t believe it. Living in London and paying for childcare? Feels like you have to be a millionaire

It's a second mortgage

I'm lucky I have good grandparents around to do a couple of days

Family members can be a Godsend sometimes "

We don't really have any family members to rely on. My brother can very occasionally help but my Dad has dementia and I am estranged from my mother. In-laws don't help either (reasons, mainly). We have had to pay through the nose for childcare, I'm the main income earner so I went back to work 4 months after our daughter was born. We pay for occasional breakfast club and after school club most nights. The costs have increased significantly in the past year. Nursery, when she was small, was horrifically expensive and, unlike when my son attended in the early 2000s, they didn't supply nappies or wipes so that was another extra cost.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple over a year ago

North West

"Will we ever have free or affordable childcare for babies and toddlers in this country?

Should people who pay taxes but don't have children contribute towards childcare? We'll have a think about that one. We provided our own childcare, it was us."

My children might be caring for you in the future. They might provide your social care or be the ambulance crew that picks you up off the floor. Someone's children are helping care for my Dad because I can't do it. I am grateful for that.

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