I am thinking about going back to work full time now the DCs are a bit older and have been looking at the cost of childcare. I was expecting around £4.50 an hour per child for a childminder but I seem to be way off!
I have broken down the cost and it seems to be:-
Breakfast Club £3.60 per morning per child (7.45-9 so very reasonable)
Childminder - £5 per hour for DS who would be there from midday to 6.30pm, £7 per hour for DD who would be there from 3pm to 6.30pm (this would be term time only and she only works then so no extra cost during school hols)
Holiday Club for 6 weeks (we can cover the other 7 weeks with our holidays) - £19 per child per day
Now all year round my MIL will have them one day a week (I pay her £20 a day for her costs) and my mum another day (no cost) so we only need childcare for 3 days per week. However the cost still comes in at £9500 per year which is £793 per month! Doesn't this seem very high considering I have one at school and the other at nursery 3 hours each morning in term time?
I think the childminding costs are really high! I am in Croydon so I guess it is a higher cost area because we are so close to London. But really?!