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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect after school care?

222 replies

BorisTrumpsHair · 18/09/2017 15:38

I've been Googling and I can't find the information I need. I need help.

I'm SP work FT. 2 DC in primary school

I need to change my after school care (ASC) and was going to go back to using the schools after school facility. Our school uses a provision at another primary school (we are in London) and has a "walking bus" policy to get children there.

So today I contact the ASC provider to register them to be told they no longer collect children from my school and I have to get the kids there myself.

My school says the walking bus cost X amount and they can't afford it!!!

So now our school has no ASC. I thought they had a statutory duty to provide it but I can't find the relevant evidence I need - probably because I'm in a bit of a flap!!

It seems most of the families in our school have a SAHP and there are very few FT SP's like me. I feel so alone in this.

AIBU to expect the school to provide ASC? What is the statutory duty my school has?

OP posts:
piemaker · 18/09/2017 17:03

I completely sympathise with you Flowers, getting the right chlidcare to fit in with work is so difficult and stressful.

It is infuriating that the school shut the afterschool club without much warning.

FrogFairy · 18/09/2017 17:06

I feel your pain having gone through the single parent work/school/childcare mill myself.

However, picking up on your comments about the potential new school, this could be a blessing in disguise and moving to the new school could be beneficial to your family. I would say go for it a ASAP.

Sallycinnamum · 18/09/2017 17:07

I wondered how long it would take for that old chestnut to appear aka 'schools are there to educate not provide childcare'. Jesus fucking wept.

Groovee · 18/09/2017 17:07

A few of my friends found students to collect their children, take them home and serve dinner. Seemed to work well for both parties.

Oblomov17 · 18/09/2017 17:08

It isn't a legal requirement. But schools really should want some kind of provision.

My 2 used to go to subsidised breakfast club for £2.50 a day. Fabulous.

Talk to other parents? and at least ask school to reconsider?

Apple23 · 18/09/2017 17:08

Your options seem to be:

  1. Find someone to collect DC from school and deliver them to ASC.
  2. Find a child-minder.
  3. Employ a nanny to care for DC in your home.
  4. Move DC's school to one with ASC. This may not be possible straight away, especially if it means waiting for spaces in more that one year-group.
  5. Change job or working hours.
PebblesFlintstone · 18/09/2017 17:09

I think a lot of people assume that all schools have ASC on site, which is far from being the case. I expect you've explored all options, but are there any nurseries in your area that also run after school clubs? They are usually open until 6.30, although are quite expensive.

OlennasWimple · 18/09/2017 17:10

I've always said it's not the working that causes problems, it's the unexpected changes in childcare arrangements / last minute school requests / other unforeseen stuff that makes it so damn hard for mothers in particular to go back to work.

OP, if there aren't any other parents who would be willing to club together to sort something out, try advertising on Gumtree for someone who will walk them to ASC. You might be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the applications you'll get (you'll need to weed out the timewasters and emails from overseas from people thinking you can sponsor a visa for them, though)

lalalalyra · 18/09/2017 17:11

Don't rule out the taxi option without investigating it. Lots of taxi drivers here are fully checked because various schools use them for transport, especially children with any additional needs.

My DD2 got a taxi to and from school every day for 5 years. Two days a week she got a taxi with her sister from school to asc. I had to pay for it as school transport is for school-home only, but it was well worth it.

she had the same driver ever day, unless he was on holiday and we were always told in advance.

how far is the asc? Could you pay another mum to walk them down? Even just temporarily until you sort something h else.

honeylulu · 18/09/2017 17:12

Someone mentioned a taxi service. I agree with OP that primary age children can't just be packed off into a random taxi. But local authorities use approved taxi services with CRB checked escorts for pupils in need. Could you enquire who your local authority uses and make a private arrangement?
I'm interested in doing this myself in future so also cheekily wondering if anyone has done this?

I sympathise with the lack of notice. My son's school used to chop and change all the time. I WORK too and it's maddening.

Original poster
BorisTrumpsHair · 18/09/2017 17:12

It is infuriating that the school shut the after school club without much warning.
No warning - no warning at all. In fact the school only mentioned it after the ASC told me they couldn't collect my DC.

Lovely school assistant has said she is looking into something to help me out. Don't know what that might be though.

Despite what many are saying here, I have actually read about our boroughs statutory obligation to provide ASC's before. I know because several years ago the council tried to stop funding the ASC and a group of parents supported ASC staff in fighting back. I've read the legislation then. That is how we won. When I went looking for that legislation today it has now disappeared!! They have done away with it.

OP posts:
gnushoes · 18/09/2017 17:13

Is it worth getting in touch with the school governors to say this is a problem? Especially because of the lack of notice?
Other thought is could the school or the ASC charge you and anyone else in the same position a small fee just to walk all the children across?
I do feel your pain. This is rubbish. Especially the no-notice bit.

honeylulu · 18/09/2017 17:13

Oops cross post with lalalyra

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 18/09/2017 17:14

Totally agree Shasta. I've turned down 3 job offers recently as they don't fit childcare hours. So I continue in my current job watching my career slowly die.

Original poster
BorisTrumpsHair · 18/09/2017 17:16

Is it worth getting in touch with the school governors to say this is a problem?

Oh yes I will be in touch with them.
But really they don't give a fuck. its a school with an army of SAHP's. I'm in such a minority I simply do not count.

OP posts:
Original poster
BorisTrumpsHair · 18/09/2017 17:17

I've been in my job 20 years - they are very child friendly & it is fantastic.
But like you TooStressy moving has proved to be impossible because of childcare.

OP posts:
Willow2017 · 18/09/2017 17:18

Sorry I misread thought it was for 1 DC.

Anyway if you used me it would cost you £21 a day that's why I thought it high for just 1.

Boris schools and parents use taxis here there isn't much option. Only one nursery picks up from outlying schools for after school club. A bus wouldn't be cost effective.

Mummyoflittledragon · 18/09/2017 17:19

I would also try and find a student or someone reliable willing to pick your dcs up for say £30 a day and take them to yours. That's £10 an hour. Even if they only did it twice a week, there's a large saving.

JoJoSM2 · 18/09/2017 17:19

Perhaps a TA from the school could walk your children across on their way home? Presumably it's quite close and it would only take a few mins. Obviously you'll need to pay them a few quid but nothing like a CM or nanny would cost for the whole afternoon.

JoJoSM2 · 18/09/2017 17:20

*Across to the school with the after school provision.

Logans · 18/09/2017 17:24

I have been using a childminder for many years. It costs me £200 pw. I can now no longer use her as she needs me to collect before I can physically get there.

That's £10,400 a year if you use it 52 weeks. Around here there is 1 private school where fees are £11k per year until age 11! And private schools would probably accommodate 6:15 collection..... although I understand this is not actually useful for you and am NOT suggesting you actually waste the money on a private school if you can do State.

Hm, I think if you totally fail to find a childminder then ask other parents and possibly the much older children at the sibling's school?

Logans · 18/09/2017 17:25

If all else fails, I think just change schools to the one you are going to view.

Willow2017 · 18/09/2017 17:25

Sally
With schools having to ask parents for money for books where do you think the money to pay for qualified staff to run after school clubs is going to come from? It really isn't their responsibility.

It would be great of the government would recognise the need for asc and fund them but the gov makes a lot of noise and does sod all about funding it. Just like the 'free child care' that's putting childcare providers out of business because they are expected to subsidise it out of their own funds.

Original poster
BorisTrumpsHair · 18/09/2017 17:25

I would also try and find a student or someone reliable willing to pick your dcs up for say £30 a day and take them to yours.
I wouldn't even know where to start to look for someone who does this.

If I am to use Govt help with childcare scheme, they have to be OFSTED registered.

OP posts:
Butterymuffin · 18/09/2017 17:26

Don't understand about the ASC being stopped without telling anyone. They presumably told the parents who were using it? Were there so few kids in it? If so, annoying as it is I can see why they would need to close. I don't get the bit about the walking bus either as that sounded as if the care was still ongoing (at a nearby school, not your one) but they've cancelled the walking bus. If that's the case, then would it be worth you and the other parents who need it looking into other ways to transfer the kids? That's where a secure taxi transfer might be possible to take them to the nearby school's ASC.

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