What happens to children over the summer?

[Randomfires]

Have I missed something because I’m sure the government said that there were to be childcare schemes set up but I can’t find anything further on this since early June.

Husband and I are keyworkers and the local holiday summer schemes are all closed. Some of the schools are doing a play scheme but not ours. Really confused as to what we’re meant to do when schools shut in 3 weeks.

We’ve got lucky and picked the one holiday camp that is actually running in our area. The week before the government announcement lots of the big names confirmed they wouldn’t open. I really don’t understand how some people a) think it’s a normal holiday b) don’t realise grandparents are normally used a lot and can’t necessarily do that now and c) many people aren’t happy with a random student providing 30 hours plus of care to their small children and d) there isn’t a glut of nannies around for temporary holiday childcare.

@Wolfsony

Do people really not use babysitters? Has there been a rash of teenagers attacking young children? Get recommendations off other mums. There is no other option this year unless you can tag team with another mum and take their kid for some of the time too.

Babysitters are not a realistic option for most people when you are talking about 9-5 plus commute for the whole holidays.

A few hours here and there yes, but not full time childcare.

@Grobagsforever

The fact you're key workers is not relevant. All working in Parents have this problem. I've worked full time with kids at home for 14 weeks now.

You'll have to juggle/swap/use annual and parental leave

It is relevant when in the last holidays when playschemes and holiday clubs couldn't run the Government at least made sure keyworker childcare was offered.

In the same boat, no summer camp type stuff here. Nursery won't accept my youngest until September due to bubble size and will have reception DC all summer. I work full time and I can't take leave. No grandparents on hand. I think I'm just going to have to work all night. It sounds ridiculous but I can't see another way around it.

Why is this issue being missed by media, maybe cos it's mostly a female problem perhaps???

Son's usual summer camp is booking, but not taking money until nearer the time. Have booked him for last week of this month, I may see if they have any more spaces later for another week or two.

DD is recently 12 and last year definitely decided she was too old for most summer camps, but also she's old enough to call up mates and organise things with them. She should be getting 5 days of Jewish day camp for her age group (was supposed to be a 10-day residential but at least they're doing this).

We have 5 days in Isle of Wight as well, and I'm taking time off either side of bank holiday as well.

Yup.. it's a female problem. It's a nightmare for so many women.

Yes, but in the Easter holidays the country was in crisis, we couldn't have Doctors taking leave/not having care. That's not the case now.

Many key workers can work from home. Many key worker have plenty of annual leave stored up. All key workers can use their initiative to do swaps/fund a student sitter/take it in turns to take leave etc.

Most working parents have had FOURTEEN WEEKS of this. And trying to hone school,

I value key workers, I do. But at this point you have to problem solve like the rest of us.

We've had the same problem OP. The holiday club we usually use for two full weeks isn't running nor are any others so for the 7.5 weeks (!) of holidays I've literally made out a rota where I'm off two days a week, DH takes two days a week and my mum is having DS for one day a week. This is using WFH, annual leave and unpaid leave. It's shit and you have my sympathy

The holiday club I use is running. I normally book my kids in for 4 weeks of Thursday and Friday as those are the days o work. The other 2 Thursday fridays we will have a holiday or grandparents. This year they will only allow us to book full weeks to "protect the bubble". I, as of yet, don't even know if I will be working by then so was splashing out booking them in, only to get an email to say they have to do full weeks. I've booked my kids in for 1 full week , but at £100 each that's more than I make on my 2 days so can't justify booking any more. Luckily my parents have offered to help but I don't want to take advantage.

We have taken two weeks annual leave each (2 parent household admittedly) and used sitters.co.uk for two weeks. Sitters are DBs checked adults (often teachers, lsa's or nursery workers in our experience)

Where I work doesn’t allow parental leave over summer holidays

I know its really difficult but the summer holidays coming up can't be a surprise surely. Mine break up tomorrow confused

@HasaDigaEebowai where did I say it was a surprise? I assumed when the government said there would be play schemes announced then there would be, but this seems to have been forgotten.

"We're going to get all schools back in September if we possibly can .. but it's going to be a big summer of catch up.

"We're going to keep making sure that kids get the remedial help that they need for the stuff that they've missed for months and months to come so that they genuinely make up for lost time."

More details will be revealed by the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson next week.

No10 stressed today that such camps would last for the summer "and beyond"

From 11 June

"We used to pay £30 per day plus an allowance for petrol/activities. Student was self-employed. DD loved her and much preferred the arrangement to holiday clubs."

I hope that was a VERY long time ago as that is £3.75 per hour for an 8 hour day.

Nowadays anything less than £56.00 per day would be just wrong.

The point regarding key workers is that we’ve already been juggling childcare since the end of March and many will have used some annual leave already. I know I have!!

Because as a single parent I just couldn’t manage my full time hours with no outside help/childcare.
And now I can’t cover the summer holidays in the way I would, which is use a lot of annual leave!

Luckily for me the relaxing of the rules for mixing with family members means my children will be looked after, but I can appreciate that others will struggle.

Is it really that difficult see that!?

Some of our local clubs have closed, some have decided to open, but with massively reduced (as in about 10% of their usual numbers), so sold out within the first day. In addition, you have to block book for 4 weeks, so you can't just have them in for 2 weeks, or for 4 days a week. It's full time, 4 weeks (no good for us). This is so they can keep stable bubbles. Our clubs for children under 8 aren't opening at all. Too hard to do social distancing and they're probably worried about being sued.

No it's not difficult to see it at all.

The sports scheme that my two attend is running with reduced numbers, but I don't know what I'd do otherwise.

Childminders may be worth approaching, although most are probably full.

Absolute nightmare for working parents especially, surprise surprise, women.

2 weeks annual leave, 3 weeks unpaid parental leave and then a holiday club has opened up so booked dc in for that for 1 week. I only work 2 days for a company, other days I work for myself from home.

Have you asked any TA's from your dc's school? Or could you ask dc's previous nursery. If she's in school and not yet 5, she must be summer born and nursery's can take up until age 5, sometimes older.

Argh, our summer camp is closed, no family to help out, crap crap crap. 🤦‍♀️

Still, 50% off a 20 quid feed eh? Cheers Rishi
Bonza.

Absolute nightmare for working parents especially, surprise surprise, women.

That will really help out with hiding unemployment - if women voluntarily return to the home. Just like the post war era.

Pass the valium.

I use the School holiday club for 10 year old DS. They are only offering 15 places per day & closing at 5pm instead of 5:45pm, so even though its open it is restricted. They are only taking children who attend the school too, not from the 2 smaller schools in the area. I'm part time & have secured the dates I need but there will be some families struggling. A friend of mine is paying the neighbours daughter who's home from Uni to look after her son. I hope you get sorted.

Use some unpaid leave. Take some holiday. Ask relatives to help out.
Between 2 of you who work, it's doable. Surely?

@StarUtopia

Use some unpaid leave. Take some holiday. Ask relatives to help out. Between 2 of you who work, it's doable. Surely?

What if you have critical work, no holiday eligibility and no relatives nearby?

Let them eat cake.

Well.

I’m a key worker, though I can wfh some of the time.

I am:
Calling in favours from every friend and family member willing.
Using a more expensive holiday club than I would normally, because it had some spaces (credit card).
Working at home as often as I can.

I have only taken one day’s A/L so far this year in order to cover more of this summer, too. I’m bloody knackered.

I dunno. It sounds like I have it easier than you and I’m finding that exhausting enough. It really does all suck and I’m sorry.

What do you normally "do" with your children in the holidays? That is what you will do this time too.

None of the holiday clubs we usually use are opening, and the children’s grandparents are all shielding! I’m a keyworker, but not frontline and have been working a home as much as possible. I’ll continue to do that, and DH and i will take some annual leave each.

There are professional babysitting agencies like Sitters.
I used them a few times when my dc were small. Was really pleased with them.