AIBU for wondering why the government assumes 12 year olds don’t need childcare?

[HiddenPineapple]

Hi folks,
Looking at Tax Free Childcare and I see it stops when a child turns 12.
www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare
Can I ask what the heck working parents with 12 year olds are expected to do in the summer and why there is so little provision for that tricky bit where they’re pretty independent but you really don’t want them sitting around the house all day on their own?
DS is 12 and it looks like summer care will cost me £125 a week. Normally I’d apply accrued childcare vouchers, but the summer camps are not registered for childcare vouchers. The ones that are registered won’t take him because he’s 12.

. If you want your child to go to sports camp or music camp or not to be alone all summer, isn't that your responsibility as a parent to save for?

As far as i can see the OP is not complaining about the cost but the lack of opportunity. I am in the same position that i have a 12 year old who is too old for most day camps but don't want to leave her all day. A lot of holiday clubs can't or don't cater for tweens/teens. Although even if there were camps she would only go with a friend and most of her friends have parents around during school hols.

I worked t/time only at that point but the holidays didn’t always line up. When they didn’t I arranged for DS to go to friends’ houses, or they’d come to ours. Kids are semi-independent then but not fully. DS would’ve hated being left home alone for 6 weeks. I’m not sure what the answer is apart from paying for a holiday club for older kids. There must be some, although they’re pricey they are needed.

ada who hadn’t got alcohol in their house? Let’s face it I don’t lock away every stray bottle of port or whatever every time I go out! I trust my teens, as did my friend.
And it wasn’t her dds that took the drinks nor their idea ( apparently) it just highlights the fact you don’t know who is in your house when you are not there. I don’t think she was being u the girls had never given her reason not to trust them.
Once friends are in your house, then it can be a free for all ( I know because I did the same thing at my parents house as a teen) my mother still talks about her favourite broken ornament if only she knew what else had happened

@springwalk you really are a bundle of joy with your post's, do you constantly tell your children it's a bad bad world out there?

happy very chilled and relaxed here thanks. Sorry you don’t like hearing the truth happy, but a touch of realism is sometimes need. Enjoy the evening sunshine

@Springwalk i think it would be best to agree to disagree, ive had a good day in the sun, hope you have to.

Op yanbu, every child is different and there is no way my dd would cope being left on her own all week age 12/13yo.

Annoying not to be able to use childcare vouchers though. I expect the OFSTED reasoning is correct and if lots of 12yo don't want to go to childcare, then it's lots of paperwork for a small number of children.

Personally, I find it pretty hard not being able to get full time holiday childcare until my child is 5yo, despite starting school at 4yo. I expect that is all about insurance and ratios too, these clubs are there to make a profit and 4yos are hard work. I'm hoping we can find a nursery or childminder who will take extra children in the holidays.

However, I recognise that having children was my choice and sorting out their childcare is also mine and DH's responsibility. I am also really grateful that my childcare issues are short lived.

We'll be using a mix of working from home, expensive extended hours clubs for older kids, residential camps, family holidays (either with us or sending off to grandparents), some reciprocal play dates and the odd day at home on her own (8am-6pm).