Return to work-Childcare

[Pmcd5]

My girlfriend is thinking of returning back to full time work in the next few months but we are finding childcare prices extremely high at the minute. Is anyone else experiencing/experienced the same problem and can provide any recommendations?

[BackforGood]

Well, it's going to cost a lot, as you are employing people to do an important job.
It is a MASSIVE expense out of your salaries for a few years.
You can get childcare vouchers from some employers.
You can look into tax credits. (will depend on your income)

A lot of people work shifts around each other - almost like a 'tag team' - one works evenings or nights and the other works more in the day, to reduce the amount of time, or one works at weekends the other in the week.
Lots of couples try and shift their working hours so one goes in really early and finishes in the afternoon and the other starts later and works later so you reduce the hours you need to cover.

A lot will depend on factors such as what jobs you both do, what your commute is like, what flexibility you have, etc., but,yes, it is a 'tight' 3 years or so between maternity leave and school for all parents. I suppose except for those who have relatives caring for their dc for free.

[chanie44]

As the previous poster said, your only real optioned to try and minimise the time you need childcare for.

You both may need to ask for flexible working eg part time, compressed hours etc.

I work compressed hours, so 5 days in 4, which means we have 1 less day of child care to pay off

The early years are difficult, but they don't last forever.

[BikeRunSki]

Childcare is expensive. Typically upwards of £40/day, and I've heard of twice this in places.

Childcare vouchers help a bit (they are tax free) but not all employers offer them (or you might be lucky, and both your employers' might offer them). Working tax credits if you are on a v low income. Or try and offset your hours from each other. Or just grin and bear it for a few years.

The term after the child is three, all children get 15 hrs nursery education paid. I believe this is going up to 30. But basically, child care costs a fortune.

[rollonthesummer]

Childcare is expensive, not just 'at the minute' and it won't get any cheaper. It's £52 a day for nursery here for one child.

There was talk about the government funding 30 hours of childcare for children over 3 but I think most preschools/
childminders will go bust if they have to do that at the government funded rate.

What are you looking at-nursery or childminder? What sort of salary do you both earn? Does she have a job to return to? Lots of questions but sadly there is no Magic way for us to make childcare suddenly cheaper for you unless you have a family memeber who wants to have your child for no charge out of the goodness of their heart.

[Pmcd5]

Hi all, Thanks for the response for this, we live in N.Ireland and have priced a few places and the average price is roughly £40 per day. If possible we may look at the option of flexi shift work which may allow us to reduce some of the minding costs.