Why do people complain about childcare costs?

[Teawithsugar40]

I’m a working mother and 65% (was previously near 100%) of my salary goes on childcare, we get by but holidays etc are out of the question. We’re not rich and have small children, it’s just how it is. I don’t resent what we pay and feel quite lucky that we’re a few hundred better off than if I was doing the equally important job of caring for my children full time.
Maybe because when I had my first child there was absolutely no childcare help and scant provision but I really don’t understand so many people these days complaining about childcare costs, especially when it still leaves them better off working? Totally understand single parents needing help and thankfully they have had generous help for years but why are couples who are definitely not on the breadline complaining? Did they seriously think they could have children without making any sacrifices and why do they expect people often worse off them themselves to pay for maintaining their previous lifestyle?

@Survivingmy3yearold

For us it's not just childcare costs either. The cost of living has risen dramatically. I've chosen not to go back to work after having my second as just wraparound care for DD6 is £16.25 a day, that's over £80 a week, plus the huge cost of nursery. If you then factor in that our gas and electric bill has gone up and is due to go up again, petrol/diesel prices have risen, our monthly food bill has gone up, our finances are already stretched. My pay wouldn't have covered the childcare costs, let alone have anything left over to contribute towards anything else. I'd have been working just to actually be worse off financially. For many the childcare costs aren't the only monthly cost up for consideration. If people have debts such as credit cards, loans and car finance which need to be paid off and childcare takes more than one wage there may not be enough to pay the rest.

If people are struggling with their everyday living costs they should get help towards those costs not everyone just blanket free childcare

@RoyalFamilyFan

The subsidy for childcare costs was first introduced to reduce child poverty. It was about improving the life of children, not giving middle-class families more money to spend.

Have said countless times I agree with the childcare help for families in poverty which is available through universal credit

As a childcare provider I totally understand parents complaining or moaning about fees each month however most parents also see the other side of how underfunded childcare is. In 12 years I've only increased my fees once and did so begrudgingly but my costs of providing care have also risen and my families were all supportive of the small increase. With the vast increase in living costs things aren't going to get any better.

[quote gogohm]@cakeandcustard

The government doesn't subsidise things, taxpayers do! Are you saying those without young children should pay for your life choices then? I stayed at home when mine were tiny and took employment I could do from home, I returned pt when they were in school - I did the maths and it was not cost effective to work and I chose to have children. Taxpayers already subsidise nursery from 3, it's doubled since mine were tiny (I got 15 hours max).

I had children young and made do renting a tiny house, no mobile phone contract (basic payg) no gym no pay tv no streaming contracts. I resent people wanting my taxes to pay for their children when I can barely afford everything now[/quote]
I was a stay at home mother for a while and that’s exactly how I felt, always people who were much better off than us having just been on their latest holidays complaining about their childcare costs when we couldn’t even afford swimming lessons for our little one.

A full time nursery place is about £1500 per month around here. People complain because that is quite a lot of money! More than many people’s mortgages. Enough money that it stops people having a second until the first one starts school, because they really can’t fund £3k a month on childcare. It is not about “expecting worse off people to find them”, how goady to suggest it.

If you can afford £1500 on a mortgage, £3k in childcare fees, plus a couple of hundred pounds a month on bills, train fares etc, all quite comfortably, that is great for you. Most people, even on good salaries, can’t.

Because it's bloody expensive, people can complain if they want to and you're judging people on your perception of their lifestyle.

@RoyalFamilyFan

But education is different to childcare. Paid for education is about ensuring children have the education they need to get jobs and build an adult life. It is about the child future. Subsidising childcare more would be largely about subsidising middle-class families so they have more money.

The difference between childcare and education is really arbitrary and artificial though

One of the reasons other countries subsidise childcare so much is because of all the evidence showing huge benefits for child development and learning, especially among lower-income and vulnerable children

The things that children learn before the age of 5, and the way that they learn them, are also incredibly important. It's pretty arbitrary to say the state will only start paying for everything when they turn 5.

Because in some other countries you get free childcare.. Where they value women a bit more

Childcare helps the development of vulnerable children and those on a very low income. It makes no difference for most kids.

@kokoalemon

It is perfectly ordinary for someone to have a child. It also perfectly ordinary to feel that something really expensive is, well, really expensive. Especially when that something is essential.

Childcare is expensive. Childcare is essential.

Every winter we have articles about the cost of heating and how expensive it can be, but I don’t see anyone say, “But you know you have to heat your home!”.

It is not an essential. If a couple can’t afford the basics either from one salary or from both working part time then they should receive help to spend on the basics or childcare, whichever they prefer

I don't quite understand why, after bringing up and paying for my own children, I should be expected to pay for someone else's...

@Motherofgrownups

I don't quite understand why, after bringing up and paying for my own children, I should be expected to pay for someone else's...

If you’re children have used NHS care, state education, roads, public transport, police service, fire service etc then someone has paid for them.

Lower income families get that help already and every child gets 15 funded hours from the term after their 3rd birthday. In addition to children’s centres offering free parent and child sessions for children under 5, although acknowledge they have been very sadly scaled down in some areas

Parents already get up to 30 hours childcare.

When I was married to my ex h I stayed at home until the kids were in school and the last year of pre school. Where I live and the fact I didn't have a career to return to as such, I'd have earnt far less per hour than I'd have been paying a childminder or nursery. Add in petrol, parking, lunch costs it was no way worth returning to work, even though I really wanted to for my own sense of self and career progression. As a single mum now I can get help with 80% of the costs, though mine are older now so it's only wrap around for one child I need. Other countries offer free or highly subsidised childcare and it should be the same here.

I would reopen Sure Start centres. That would actually help children's development and futures.
I really am not interested ins subsidising middle-class parents who are much better off than me, so they can have even more money.

@RoyalFamilyFan

Parents already get up to 30 hours childcare.

Lots get 0.

If childcare were provided from the end of the protected maternity leave I think more lower income women would keep working, keep contributing to their pensions and be less likely to be stuck in an abusive relationship with no access to funds... Which I suspect would be cheaper for the state in the long run. Would also help middle class educated professionals (like nurses, doctors and teachers) continue to use their state funded training... If the state provided the basic childcare then people could potentially afford the wrap around to allow the antisocial shift as they could sleep during school hours.

Actually I'd want there to be shared parental leave of 15 months with a minimum 80% paid portion of 3 month per parent which would reduce the quiet recruitment bias against women of childbearing age because literally any person of that age could go off on paid leave rather than it being only a risk applying to women.

Another issue is that the 30 hours free (in England) and tax free childcare are only claimable by the half term after you've started work and getting suitable childcare is very much a chicken and egg situation if you're not already in employment - you have to gamble that you can get suitable childcare once you know you've got a job and the hours or that you can quickly get a job to fit the childcare you've contracted to pay for. Neither is ideal if you're just getting by!

The 30 & 15 hours are only for 38 weeks of the year. The vast majority have to pay for extra hours & holiday.

Mine are in school but I still pay for wrap around care/holidays & I'm p/t with lots of holiday.

Sorry, should be got 0, the 15 hours is fairly new, plus those 15 hours are rarely free.

Childcare should be subsidised more so that women who want to work can plus it's often beneficial to the children. It's good to invest in children for a better society overall.

@Simonjt

I think it’s that childcare is different, we’re happy to fund roads through our road tax but happy that incentives for people who use greener cars, happy to fund needs that come about through misfortune (that would be a mighty kick in teeth if had to suffer accident and cost of healthcare) or just being unlucky and poor and free education for kids was decided as a pretty good idea about 130 years ago but subsidising middle class parents holidays not so much

OP you don't seem to have addressed that practically every other country in Europe has substantially cheaper early years childcare. These are countries with similar tax burdens to us, and it benefits the whole of society.

Maybe Brits resent ask their tax money going to Boris's cronies rather than paying for our children, the future of the country, to be looked after so their parents can both work if they choose to

[quote Teawithsugar40]@Simonjt

I think it’s that childcare is different, we’re happy to fund roads through our road tax but happy that incentives for people who use greener cars, happy to fund needs that come about through misfortune (that would be a mighty kick in teeth if had to suffer accident and cost of healthcare) or just being unlucky and poor and free education for kids was decided as a pretty good idea about 130 years ago but subsidising middle class parents holidays not so much[/quote]
So you would rather increase child poverty and decrease the life chances of children just because some people can afford more holidays than you.

If you’re children have used NHS care, state education, roads, public transport, police service, fire service etc then someone has paid for them.

No room for logic here pls!