What age did you stop using afterschool childcare?

[RosieLeaLovesTea]

Hi all

at what age did you stop using afterschool childcare? My daughter has just turned 8. Will be going into year 4 of primary next year. I am moving to a new area and I am trying to plan how long I might need to use an afterschool club or child minder. Thanks!

Summer term of Year 6.

Depending on the child's maturity and distance/dangerous the journey back from school is then possibly when a child starts high school there's no need for a childminder

I change my answer yes summer term of year 6 to prepare your child for high school

DC2 is in year 6 and is still going to ASC for the next two weeks. She'll be coming home to an empty house come September, but IMO (and DC1 agrees) the novelty of being home alone wears off quite soon, and it gets a bit boring. So I've kept her in 'til the end of term and she gets to hang out with a few mates.

Dd2 is 9 and ending year 4 and flatly refusing after school club now. She's walking home and dd1 gets home not long after.

What time do you get home ?
I know a current year 5 who arrives home before mum but she's home within 30 mins. That's very different to a parent coming home at say 6pm.

It depends what the alternative is. Would she have to walk home alone? Is that safe? Will someone be there to check in with (e.g. Neighbour to ask she's in trouble)? Can she responsibly use a phone?

I wfh, so she'll be expected to occupy herself for an hour from 5, she doesn't need watching but couldn't get home alone and wouldn't be okay in an emergency.

Year 6 for DD, but year 4 for DS although only because I was wfh then.

Start of year 5 as he got the bus so he was only home alone for 45 minutes. School was on my way home so I'd have been picking him up after an hour and paying for three.

Two hours after school wasn't until summer term of year 6.

I am stopping using our afterschool childminder this summer for dds age 11 and 9. That said, I am still going to make sure one of us is wfh or dm is around after school for a while yet, as I finish quite late.

It totally depends on the child, they all differ maturity wise and some would be too anxious to be left alone for a long period. For me personally I’d say year 6 is a reasonable time to let themselves in at home and be alone for a couple of hours.