How do childcare costs go down when kids go to school?

[Yeahthatthing]

We're doing DC1s school applications and I'm astounded at the number of people who assume we must be looking forward to it as our childcare costs will go down. They won't! When breakfast and after school club and holiday care is taken in to account the cost is the same or very slightly more than we are currently paying for nursery.

Do people's child care costs really go down? How?

We had 2 in nursery 3 days a week before DD1 went to school, this was pre 30 hours but I think she got 16 hrs "free" (term time only, still had to pay for meals and other hours). Cost was £1200 per month. Now they're both at school, after school club for both 2 days a week costs £72 per month in total plus some holiday club costs of under £1k total per year, so yes there's a massive difference.

We used a childminder both before and after our children started school. Once they started school we paid her for far fewer hours.

We also didn't need childcare for very long hours (eg. not before school except on rare occasions) so the proportionate fall was more.

We were paying £800 for two kids with a childminder three days per week.

Now we pay £350 for three days with a childminder - before and after school in term time, full days during holidays.

Now I'm looking forward to when we don't need a childminder! We've got 3 or 4 years to go.

stucknoue I'm not moaning about the cost! I have stated above that this thread isn't about the cost, it's about everyone thinking cost will go down when DC to s at school, which for us it won't.

We took in to consideration the full cost of having kids and have planned to fund the education/ wrap around care as required until they've finish uni.

Haven't rtft, mine halved for my dd because we weren't eligible for the 30 hours funding only the 15. But if you got 30 hours I can see how this would happen as full time wrap around for us is 2500 ish per child per academic year plus 2500 for 12 weeks of the cheapest holiday club in the area.

@isabellerossignol I am not in England either so am really confused. Did you only speak to one childminder ? They were not being honest. That’s not how it works.

I had three different childminders over the years and they were all the same. I also contacted several other childminders in my area and asked other parents about their fees and they were all the same.

It makes perfect sense to me. Why would someone trying to earn a living accept only being paid for a few hours a day when that would prevent her from earning a full day's pay by taking on a different child?

And before and after school care was still about 5 and a half hours a day (7.30 am to 9am when they went to school, then 2pm to 6pm when I got home from work) so I don't see how it's outrageous to think that it might still be expensive.

You've budgeted too much for holiday club - you've allowed 10 full weeks. Christmas you'd need 7 days, Easter 9 days, May half term 4 days, plus 10 days for the other two half terms - that's 6 weeks. As you haven't used any of your annual leave you'll have at least four weeks leave in the summer so you'd need childcare for 2 weeks at most. 8 weeks in total.

If you have a partner they can also cover some holidays surely, and you could come to a mutual arrangement with someone to look after their kid for a few days in return for them having yours.

titchy I said up thread that we're very restricted on taking time off in the school holidays. So at least one week will be DH and I off together. If either of us get another 2 weeks off in the holidays I'd be surprised, it'll more likely be odd days here and there, probably at short notice so we may have already booked the holiday care. I expect we'll have to pay extra between Christmas and New year as well as very few schemes are open then.

It's a shame as I get 32 days leave plus bank holidays, but it doesn't really help me!

I changed my working hours to school hours, when the youngest went to school. So I am able to do pick up and drop off and all the activities they couldn’t do when I worked until 5. My pension is fucked but my kids are happy and there is no after school care locally so we had no choice.

I “just” pay £37 per child per day for holiday club, but I’m lucky as my work allow me to work 9-5 in the holidays instead of 9-3, to fit in with the holiday club hours.

mine didn't go down until dc were around 10yo and didn't need wrap around care anymore.
we are lucky that holidays can be covered with a mix of annual leave and sending kids to relatives.

@isabellerossignol But as long as the children are over 8 the restrictions decrease.... children are only in school until 2 for 3 years and then 3 (sometimes they have a club etc) also it’s per day not per hour.
Childminders prefer having older ones as they don’t take as much looking after and they can have more of them. They can still have their 3 under 5.

I think you’ve been hoodwinked.

Childcare costs go way down when children go into full time education anyone arguing differently is just bu !

@Yeahthatthing You’re annoyed that people are saying childcare costs go down which they do... I think you like moaning. YBVU

@isabellerossignol But as long as the children are over 8 the restrictions decrease.... children are only in school until 2 for 3 years and then 3 (sometimes they have a club etc) also it’s per day not per hour.
Childminders prefer having older ones as they don’t take as much looking after and they can have more of them. They can still have their 3 under 5.

I think you’ve been hoodwinked.

But if they take on six school age children then they can't have three preschoolers because they would exceed their maximum numbers. And what about school holidays when they would be needed all day, not just before and after school. The guidance from HSC doesn't mention anything about the restrictions easing at age 8. It even says that if you look after a child aged 12 or over, that it reduces the number of younger children you can have.

In the end its supply and demand. I live somewhere that demand outstrips supply so childminders can charge whatever they want. In all my years using childminders, I never paid for anything other than a full day, regardless of how many hours the child was actually at the childminder.

For me, personally, childcare did not get cheaper at school age. I'm not arguing that it's the same for everyone. I am just sharing my experiences.