To stop paying for after-school care at age 10

[hibbledobble]

Childcare is an absolute nightmare for me, and eye wateringly expensive. Current arrangement of having an au pair for school collections will no longer be an option soon due to leaving the EU, and no planned visa scheme for unskilled workers.

Nannies would be more than I earn, and also only tend to want full time hours. (I am a junior doctor, but earn less than London nanny wages)

The school's ASC is also pretty dire. Shouting at children, forcing them to sit in silence etc, then just penning them in, with no planned activities.

Wibu to allow oldest child to walk home alone aged 10? She is independent and street wise. Younger children would be cared for at nursery, but she is too old for this.

It depends on where you live.
And on her. Does she want to do it?

How long would she be on her own before you got back? Does she know not to answer door/how to phone emergency services etc?

If she’s sensible it might be an option, lots of parents start to allow their children to home home alone once they start secondary.

It's fine as long as your DD is happy with this.

How do you know the ASC is as you described?
You're putting your financial needs above the safety needs of your DD. As a junior doctor, how do you guarantee you'd be home by a specific time?

Child minder, there are out of school after school care clubs one collects from school and if school one is so dire why aren’t people reporting it?

My son is 10 soon and no way will be be walking home on his own yet or until he is at high school and even then there will be an older sibling there. I am a nurse so work long hours currently don’t need childcare but am hoping to change jobs soon so I may need something before and after school. Boys will be 9&10 too far too walk home and too young to sit at home on their own imo. It’s rubbish paying for childcare but when you have kids not much can be done surely you’ll have your au pair a while longer?
Perhaps move out of London if you can’t afford it,

Btw, lots of childminders also do school pick ups. Try one of these.

I started this half way through the first term of year 6. I would have done it at the start but DS wasn't sure - then he kept texting me asking if he could go to the park instead of the childminder so I decided he was! He was 11 in September but I don't think it matters if she's 10 or older, if she's sensible and confident to do it.

She loves time alone.

I know the ASC is as described from the children that attend and their parents. Many complaints have been made about it, but there hasn't been improvement.

By 11 at secondary school this would certainly be the norm so a year earlier isn't outrageous for a mature child (some 10 year olds are more grown up than other 13 year olds - there's massive variation). Would she feel lonely? Is she capable of handling an emergency? What if she felt unwell suddenly would she have someone she could ask to help? Is there no childminder in the area for after school care? Another family who would help out? (Maybe in exchange for sleepovers at yours or something).

Depends on so many things. My 10yo walks home by herself and stays at home til I come back from work. However, the walk is short and safe, there are older siblings at home and she is very sensible.

Is it just walking home or would she then be alone at home? For how long?

Depends on your 10 year old. I would have let my eldest walk home alone at 10 (she’s 11 so it’s not that long ago!) as she’s a mature & independent sort. But my current 8 year old is unlikely to be up for it in two years time.

Are you a single parent? No idea how you manage being a junior doctor on your own!

My DS did this but he was 11. How long is the walk?

We stopped using after school childcare when DC aged 9 and 10 as they did not want to go to after school club anymore. It's a bit too far for them to walk home so they go to a safe place near school together until I can collect (library, park or cafe). It has worked really well for us, I would be happy for them to go home instead if it was closer.

Dd2 was alone after school at age 10 (almost 11 and y6) for around an hour and a half. She was fine. So long as your dd is sensible I don’t see a huge problem.

I’d be inclined to send them to asc.

I’d rather that than a 10 year old alone at home for an unspecified length of time.

Sounds fine so long as the school is happy to allow it.

I'm not sure. I think she will need some contact and supervision with an adult. She may feel mature but if anything goes wrong she is vulnerable.

I actually think they need childcare until towards the end of y7.

Mine went to a childminder. There were always a fair few y7’s there, but no y8’s.

How long would she be alone for?

How long will the child be home alone and for how many days?

I use a childminder for my 10 yo

I actually think they need childcare until towards the end of y7.

I don't know any after-school childcare schemes that provide for over 11's. Why does a 12 year old need childcare?

I think its a little young, they mature a lot in a year. Maybe look for a babysitter for a few evenings? A sixth form student possibly.

And that is the trouble. No secondary schools do this, but there is a massive demand for it. When my dd was in Year 7, all her friends continued with after school care until at least 1/2 way through Year 7. My dd was only just 11 when she started secondary. Too young to leave alone. 12 is fine, but not only just 11

I actually think they need childcare until towards the end of y7

Maybe your child does but as a rule, most don't