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Most parents in Britain are struggling to find affordable childcare for the summer break, according to a new survey which shows average costs are still rising.
The national childcare charity Daycare Trust wants extra funding to subsidise childcare in the summer break, now less than a fortnight away, as it publishes its annual Holiday Childcare Costs Survey.
The report, compiled from responses by the Children's Information Services (CIS), finds that shortages of places are increasing, and that costs are still too high for many parents. This year's results reveal that more than half of the regional CIS say parents have difficulty finding affordable holiday childcare.
Some of the areas where childcare is expensive, such as the east Midlands and the south-west, are low-income areas.
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Emma Knights, joint chief executive of Daycare Trust, said: "Good holiday childcare is a necessity, not a luxury. But this survey shows what can be done in areas where the local authority recognises the burden that affording holiday childcare places on parents.
"We want all local authorities to follow the brilliant example being set by some of the most generous, and recognise that providing safe, stimulating places for children and teenagers to enjoy themselves in the summer holidays is a necessity, not a luxury."
She added: "Good holiday childcare not only provides peace of mind for parents who work, it can also inspire young people to try new activities, and prevent the social problems that can arise when teenagers have not enough to do."
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- reprinted from the Guardian