So when I go back to work... what do I do with DS in the school holidays?!!!

[mankymummy]

Presumably he will have to go to some sort of out of school club? Do such things exist?

I am desperate to get off of benefits and back to work once DS starts school and am trying to work out how much I have to earn to pay for everything.

Does anybody know how much I can expect to pay?

[LIZS]

Our local YMCA does a playscheme from £13 per day , plus others.

[bozza]

My DS goes to his childminder during the holidays. It costs me £28/day but that includes his lunch and any activities she might take him to such as soft play, museum visit etc.

[mankymummy]

He's only 2+8 at the moment, I am planning rather far ahead I know (although because of when his birthday falls he'll start school a few days after his 4th birthday)!

What do I need to type into google to find schemes in my area? Playscheme? Thanks.

[LoveMyGirls]

have a look on childcare link (just google it) and search for your area it will bring up a full list of all childcare in your area hth

[windygalestoday]

manky mummy what about a job in a school? t.a or something?

[mankymummy]

oh brilliant, thanks for that. just found local govt site that says it has 40 schemes in the area costing from £15-£20 a day - less than I pay for nursery at the moment!!!!

[mankymummy]

windy - I'm going back to college in September to study Horticulture so was hoping for something in that field although thats a good idea, wonder if I could get a job as a school gardener or something !?

sorry about the wierd figures in previous post, my pc dodgy. that meant to read 15 to 20 pounds a day.

[windygalestoday]

ohh mnky mummy i wasnt being fasecious its blardy expensive all this childcare tho at least if youre at college you might get some of the holidays off too?
good luck with the horticulture

[mankymummy]

oh sorry windy if it seemed I'd taken your post the wrong way by what i said.

I actually just took it at face value, a gardener in a school really would be ideal.

Childcare expensive? You're not joking. Shame exP seems to believe everything costs nothing !

Thanks for the good luck... being an... ahem.. mature student, I will certainly need it !

[gillybean2]

Both the clubs I send my son too were recommended by work colleagues who sent their own children there over several years. other parents recommendation is probably the best place to start.

Otherwise look at your local councils website, they have childcare providers listed on there including holiday and afterschool provision.

My son goes to two different holiday clubs, one is only open in the easter and summer and the other is open every school holiday including half term and even xmas but it doesn't open on non pupil days as they vary from school to school.

I can recommend both but of course it all depends what part of the country you are in. The easter/summer one is called Barracudas,
www.barracudas.co.uk/
and they have lots of places all over the country so look on their website to see if there's one within distance to you. It more sports based and gives him a chance to try lots of new activities and he comes home pretty tired after a hard days play.

The other is seymour house which run holiday and afterschool clubs attached to their nursery and which is based in essex
www.seymourhouse.co.uk/
They offer different activities and themed weeks, bouncy castles, computer games, activities...

Holiday clubs can be quite expensive, but remember it doesn't work out that much when you average out per week over the whole year so try not to think of it as being £35 a day but work out what that will coast you a working day averaged out over the year.

Plus if you are a lone parent on WTC & CTC you will probably get up to 80% of the cost paid. So a £35 a day holiday club place (which is more than I pay) will in reality cost you only £7 if it qualifies as an approved childcare provider for CTC purposes. Make sure they are ofstead registered and you'll be fine.

Some places also offer early booking deals and 3 and 5 day deals so it's worth getting in there early if you can.

Decide what kind of childcare best suits your child and then find a holiday club that suits them.

[sitdownpleasegeorge]

mankymummy,

when you start looking round primary/infants schools you need to be asking about breakfast clubs/after school clubs and holiday clubs. Beware, just because they say there is such a facility doesn't mean it has places available so double check on this at the earliest opportunity before committing myourself to applying for a place at a particular school.

[mankymummy]

good thinking sitdown, hadnt even occurred to me to ask about that. i think i only have an option of two schools so will definitely check that out. thanks.

[perpetualworrier]

You might be able to cover some holidays by coming to an arrangement with another mum e.g over a 2 week school hols, like the one we've just had, you take 1 week's holiday from work and have both of your DC's and she does the same the following week.

You'd have to know her well and be confident that she'd be reliable, but it would save you both money. Now's the time to start networking !

[LIZS]

pw , you do have to be a little careful as some such "arrangements" can be interpreted as childminding (even if not for money) with all the red tape it brings unless close family.

[brightwell]

I'm lucky as was able to request a sort of term time contract, during school holidays I only have to work 2 shifts each week. (I'm a nurse, this week I'm working early shift Saturday and night duty Sunday)dc will be with their dad on Saturday, my Dad will have dc sunday night. In the past I've used a combination of school's holiday play scheme, local sports centre scheme's, child minder, friends and relatives.