Childcare: how much do grandparents help out?
A joint study by Mumsnet and Gransnet has found that grandparents are providing unpaid childcare for some families on a weekly basis. A fifth of parents who use grandparents for childcare said that help from their mum, dad or in-laws is the only way they could afford to go back to work.
We found that the majority of grandparents providing childcare are happy to do so. Parents appreciate the opportunity to save money - but also the fact that their children are spending time with people who love them.
See the full survey results below.
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On how many days per week - in a normal week - does your mother/father/mother-in-law/father-in-law look after your child(ren)? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Less than one | 15% |
| One | 32% |
| Two | 27% |
| Three | 14% |
| Four | 6% |
| Five | 5% |
| Six | 0% |
| Seven | 0% |
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What are the best things about your childcare arrangement with the grandparents? (Pick up to three things.) |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Knowing that my children are with someone who loves them | 74% |
| The closeness between my parents/in-laws and my children | 69% |
| Flexibility, convenience and peace of mind | 50% |
| The money saved | 36% |
| It's the only way we could afford to go back to work | 22% |
| My parents/in-laws can give my children attention in a way that I don't have time for | 10% |
| The wisdom and experience that my parents/in-laws can pass to my children | 9% |
| Don't know | 1% |
| Other | 3% |
|
Do you pay your parents/in-laws to look after your children? Do you give them ad hoc gifts or treats (ie a bottle of wine or night out) to say thank you? Do you pay expenses incurred when looking after your children? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent - yes |
| Give gifts | 57% |
| Pay expenses | 23% |
| Pay a set rate | 6% |
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If you do pay a rate, do you.... |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Pay a weekly rate | 52% |
| Pay a day rate | 39% |
| Pay an hourly rate | 8% |
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If you pay a rate, how much is it per child? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Up to £10 per day | 23% |
| Between £10 and £20 per day | 41% |
| Between £20 and £50 per day | 33% |
| Over £50 per day | 2% |
| Not stated | 2% |
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How much do you think your parents/in-laws spend on your children when they are looking after them? Please give an average per day. |
|---|
In term time:
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Nothing | 36% |
| Up to £10 per day | 50% |
| Between £10 and £20 per day | 4% |
| Between £20 and £50 per day | 0% |
| Over £50 per day | 0% |
| Don't know/not stated | 10% |
In school holiday time:
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Nothing | 24% |
| Up to £10 per day | 48% |
| Between £10 and £20 per day | 14% |
| Between £20 and £50 per day | 3% |
| Over £50 per day | 0% |
| Don't know/not stated | 10% |
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Are there any tensions that arise as a result of your childcare arrangements with your parents/in-laws? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| No | 68% |
| Yes | 28% |
| Don't know | 4% |
|
To what extent - if at all - in the arrangement with your parents/in-laws for childcare are the following a source of tension for you or your partner? |
|---|
| Answer options | Source of a lot of tension | Source of some tension | Not a source of tension | Not applicable |
| Nutritional content of meals | 4% | 26% | 61% | 8% |
| Day-to-day costs | 0% | 3% | 84% | 13% |
| When your parents/in-laws take a holiday | 1% | 14% | 75% | 10% |
| Lack of or type of communication | 2% | 14% | 75% | 9% |
| Your timekeeping | 1% | 11% | 78% | 10% |
| Their timekeeping | 2% | 11% | 76% | 10% |
| Amount of TV/screen time | 2% | 17% | 73% | 9% |
| How childcare arrangements are made | 1% | 10% | 80% | 9% |
| How to discipline | 3% | 28% | 62% | 7% |
| Messiness of in-laws' house and garden | 2% | 6% | 79% | 13% |
| Messiness of your house and garden | 2% | 13% | 71% | 14% |
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And to what extent, if at all - do you think the following cause your parents/parents in-law tension? |
|---|
| Answer options | Source of a lot of tension | Source of some tension | Not a source of tension | Not applicable |
| Having to commit to year-round childcare | 1% | 23% | 63% | 12% |
| Having to take holidays in more expensive school breaks | 1% | 6% | 66% | 27% |
| Compromising their own careers/opportunities | 1% | 7% | 78% | 15% |
| Their social life | 1% | 17% | 73% | 9% |
| Their timekeeping | 1% | 9% | 81% | 9% |
| Your timekeeping | 1% | 13% | 77% | 9% |
| Worries about their health | 1% | 26% | 66% | 7% |
| Messiness of their house after grandchildren | 1% | 12% | 76% | 11% |
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Do your parents/in-laws also provide childcare for any other grandchildren? And if so, does this cause any tension with other members of the family? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| No, they do not care for any other grandchildren | 69% |
| Yes they do, and it does not cause tension | 24% |
| Yes they do, and it causes tension | 7% |
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Is reliability ever an issue for you when it comes to this childcare arrangement? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| No | 82% |
| Yes | 15% |
| Don't know | 3% |
|
If money and availability of quality childcare were no issue, would you still have your parents/in-laws providing childcare? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Yes | 45% |
| Yes, but I'd split it with other childcare providers | 38% |
| No | 11% |
| Don't know | 6% |
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How many grandchildren do your parents/ in-laws look after? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| One | 41% |
| Two | 35% |
| Three | 13% |
| Four | 6% |
| Five or more | 4% |
| Not stated | 1% |
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Which of the following describes your normal working status? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| Full-time paid employment | 28% |
| Full-time self-employed | 2% |
| Part-time paid employment | 52% |
| Part-time self-employed | 7% |
| Stay at home parent/not seeking work | 3% |
| Student | 7% |
| Carer | 0% |
| Retired | 0% |
| Unemployed and looking for work | 1% |
| On sick leave/unable to work | 1% |
| Volunteer, eg for charity | 2% |
| Other/not stated | 1% |
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Which of the following describes your partner's working status? |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percent |
| No partner | 7% |
| Full-time paid employment | 75% |
| Full-time self-employed | 10% |
| Part-time paid employment | 5% |
| Part-time self-employed | 2% |
| Stay at home parent/not seeking work | 0% |
| Student | 1% |
| Carer | 0% |
| Retired | 1% |
| Unemployed and looking for work | 1% |
| On sick leave/unable to work | 0% |
| Volunteer, eg for charity | 1% |
| Other/not stated | 1% |
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How old are your children? (All that apply) |
|---|
| Answer options | Response percentage |
| Under one | 14% |
| One | 20% |
| Two | 20% |
| Three | 19% |
| Four | 18% |
| Five | 14% |
| Six | 12% |
| Seven | 11% |
| Eight | 8% |
| Nine | 9% |
| Ten | 4% |
| Eleven | 6% |
| Twelve | 4% |
| Thirteen | 2% |
| Fourteen | 2% |
| Fifteen | 1% |
| Sixteen | 1% |
| Seventeen or more | 2% |
| Not stated | 0% |
Survey of 1099 Mumsnet users with children aged 0-11, who use grandparents for regular childcare. Survey conducted in Jan-Feb 2015.
Last updated: about 3 years ago