To expect pre-school to sort out childcare during holidays

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My toddler will be eligible for 30 free hours' childcare from September. We have two options for pre-school: one at the primary school near us and one at the private nursery he goes to now. It's great that they offer this, but the only problem is that both do not have any childcare cover during holidays. My husband and I both work and do not get enough holidays to cover 13 weeks; plus, it would be nice if all of us could be off at the same time!

Holiday clubs etc. do not cater for three-year olds and we do not have any family that could look after our child for a whole day. My sister lives abroad and says their pre-school offers paid childcare all year round. AIBU to think that it's ridiculous that pre-schools are not sorting out cover during school holidays? What are we supposed to do?!

I really think you need a childminder who offers the Fred childcare stretched over the year and you pay the difference to make up the hours you need. Alternatively some child!understand do holiday care so that might be another solution. When my children were that age I had to put them in a nursery that opened all year round, it took most of my wages but we needed what was left. I never considered it anyone elses job to sort childcare but mine (&OH, mind you he was useless) so really don't understand why you think it's up to your current childcarers to make arrangements? Perhaps you need to start searching for a choldminder, then again depends if they are accepting funded children as for many what the LA are offering in funding is below their normal rates so they would be working for less money, not ideal.

Childminders not child!understand 😂

Some people are just soo mean!! No wonder some kids turn out to be bullies at school!

The op simply wanted suggestions which some people have nicely given. There are lots of aspects of parenting that some of us never thought about prior to conception, it's not an excuse to be rude. If someone is losing their home because of say ,loss of job ,would you say to the person "oh well you should have thought about that before you took a mortgage!!"

Op- you've had quite a bit of good suggestions here , hopefully you'll find something which suits around your family's lifestyle. I do empathise with you.

My sis got a job offer and decided to use the free hours of childcare for my niece only to be told by the various nurseries in London that they won't give her a space unless she commits to longer hours/days. To put it plainly , they won't give her just the standard 15 free hours, she'd have to sign up for full days and pay the different even if she doesn't want them. She's been refused spaces at three nurseries so far, purely because they can't make a profit on her. She's now at the point where she has to decline the job offer as she can't afford childcare. It's really sad that the government wants to encourage families to work but yet do not have a supportive childcare system in place to encourage people to continue working. My husband and I are fortunate enough to be able to afford full time nursery and a nanny for our child but it's not the same for everyone. Sooo many women would prefer to work but can't.

Cherry again a childminder might be worth looking into for your sister they are usually more flexible than nurseries 😉

I didn't get any free hours for my eldest and few for my 9 year old . Think you should just be happy with it really and use a private nursery in the holidays

I think the OP would be happier if people RTFT

It is frustrating. Dd currently goes to nursery but will be starting pre school in September, 6 hours a day 5 days a week. It's school hours so not compatible with our jobs, and closed in school holidays. However, I only work 3 days a week. To enable her to go, we'll be using a childminder for wraparound care and some holidays. It's still not confirmed yet. If we can't get the childminder dd will have to stay at current nursery, but they probably won't offer the free hours because of the cost. Hoping to get it sorted soon!

I can't believe how much people have rounded on you OP!
It must be really frustrating having to decide about moving him.
Could you and his dad juggle holidays /unpaid leave for a couple of years. At,say, 5 weeks holiday each that only leaves 3-4 of unpaid leave between you? By the summer before children start Year R most of the holiday clubs round here will accept them.

I think you have a point and some of the responses here are missing it. As I read it you're not saying that you begrudge paying the point you're making is that there are not as many childcare options available for school holiday times for three year olds. No holdiay clubs etc as they only take from school age. So whilst 30 hours free in term time is of course welcome it does create a gap in the system of how you then cover the holdiay for that age group as in my experience not easy to find a childminder who only does holidays. My three year old would also have a meltdown if we were sending her to a new and unknown nursery/childminder with other children she doesn't know for short periods.

Solidarity, bibbity. Have some while we wait...

That does sound unusual that they only operate term time once they're three at a private nursery. It's a shame if your dc is settled but you're best off finding alternative nursery as holiday clubs for under 5s are very rare I think! I also agree with you, it's bloody tough being a working parent with little family support and most services don't seem to support it. I think it would be good if pre schools operated all year round to make life easier. The only people I know who send their kids there are stay at home parents or have lots of family support.

On another note maybe the nursery, pre-school, childminder could use the funded hours to help kids read things properly so that we don't have the same issues on threads in years to come

Seriously this isn't about bashing op but it's common sense.

Someone mentioned mortgages? The small prints on the paper you sign reads the terms and conditions

To have a child you must be prepared enough to some extent so you know what to expect
Pregnancy
Birth
Feeding
Travel
Education
Childcare
And d list goes on

So at what point did op stop. When you are getting a job or having an exam and so on you go prepared. I just don't get it. As op seems so defensive

So the government should cater for your personal circumstance such as childcare during holidays when you have already been offered 30hrs free

It's not been mean! It's common sense to ask your nursery and google child care for 3 year olds during holidays

Simple! It just annoys me when I hear things like this, kids r not gifts, necessities, order after marriage or right partner. It's a choice. Do your homework properly before deciding to have one just like you do when deciding what career or home you choose to live in. Simple
Really!!!

How would op have reacted if you had a doctor or nurse or self employed ( just an example) post on here " what does the government expect parents to do with childcare on weekends when I'm working. Both preschools and private nursery's are closed still waiting for d response from posters claiming others are been mean. It's just drumming in reality.

Next time people will think properly before writing unnecessary threads

Brianna5 the tone of your post is so weird! Sanctimonious much?!
People on here are sounding a bit like those Americans who use the word "socialist" as an insult. "How dare you expect help from the state with your children?! You're on your own! If I had to struggle, you should too!"

When people, including parents, are able to remain in work, everybody benefits. Bleating about how "we had to live on beans on toast for the entire preschool years, and that's just how it is"... such a race to the bottom mentality

How long has your son been at this nursery? How did you not know that irvwas teen time only ( never heard of a nursery doing that before what are all the parents supposed to do? ) are you sure it's not just the 15 hours they dont provide in the hols? It cannot possibly pay them to close every holiday.

Just curious as to what you mean by 'social control' regarding child minders?

I was an owner of an outstanding, well established pre-school until very recently but had to give up due to 30 hours funding coming in. The funding money from government just isn't anywhere near enough to cover the costs and we couldn't do anything to make up our income.
I know some mums do need to work but in my opinion the government is very wrong to dangle the carrot of 30 hours free funding in order to entice mums back to work before their children get to full time education. Children want and need their mothers and they want and need to be at home with them for part of the day at least. Wrap around child care is causing big problems ....an explosion of mental health issues and special needs. Is it any wonder when the child's primary attachment is likely to be a young apprentice with little investment in the heartfelt needs of the young child. It is so sad for these young children to be left at a nursery all day so that mums can go to work to pay for it. I wish our country would wake up to this. My advice to you would be to plan to stay at home with your child if you possibly can and make use of 15 hours free funding once your child is 3 in a really good pre-school. Your child is your responsibility, nobody else's. Don't have a child if you can't afford to look after it yourself. Your child needs you.

**brianna5 Get off your high horse please....You come across very condescending!

It's relieving to know that every decision you've made in life has been thoroughly looked into and not one element/ aspect of these decisions have been under or overlooked ! Give yourself a pat on the back for not ever having unexpected events thrown at you. You are one is a million !

Perhaps I shouldn't leave the house today and go to work because the chances of me being killed in an attack working in the city is very highly . You sound like the Insensitive and bigoted people,on social media who were saying that kids shouldn't haven been at a concert on a school night!!(with relation to the Manchester attack)

Op- things will work out ...it always does. You just need to look at your options with your famil/partner and decide which one suits your lifestyle. Sometimes , the thought of changing is harder than the change itself. X

Full time nursery seems to be your option. One that will accept the 30 hours free and then charge for the remaining hours you use. Not aware of any prr-school Local Authority system that stays open during school holidays other than holiday clubs but the the kids are of school age. Your problem is what you call being a parent, your responsibility. Why have kids if you don't have the time to look after them. Fed up with these posts where it is always someone else's fault or responsibility to sort out child issues.

I know some mums do need to work

Some dads need to work too.

And (whisper it) some people who have children want to work, and believe it makes them better parents.

Wrap around child care is causing big problems ....an explosion of mental health issues and special needs.

Evidence for this claim?

Most studies I've seen suggest the opposite is true.

From some of these responses it seems like it's really hard for many to imagine a reality that's different to theirs.

Year-round childcare is vital for equal pay (otherwise you find that it's generally women that end up taking lower paid work to fill the gaps). One of the Women's Equality Party manifesto points is based on access to childcare for 48 weeks of the year - worth a read...

Unfortunately that's how it is OP. Welcome to the world of being a parent! We too have no family support or otherwise, and with my first child, I had to pay a childminder for school holidays etc. With my 2nd child, she has health issues, so has about six to eight weeks off school a year, on top of the 16 they already have off for holiday. I soon realised that returning to my old job was not an option! Even part time work can't accommodate that much pro rata time off. It's tough but that's the choice we make.

Yes totally unreasonable. Have the 30 hours free childcare pay for holiday childcare. You may be able to apply for help with costs through child tax credits depending on hours needed and household earnings.

For the love of all that is Holy op, ask HQ to lock this thread now!

30 hours free and you think you deserve more???? I got none. Get a grip.

Oh sweet Jesus. RTFT, new players, so you don't look like twattish fools.

Twattish fools - I like it