Do you use any sort of wraparound care for school age children? And how much?

[Summermeadowflowers]

I’m trying to make a decision on what would work best for the family.

DS starts school in 2025, but I’m due back from maternity leave in July 24, and if I want to make changes to my work it would be best to do so then.

The primary school the children will probably attend does have some wraparound care but I’m not sure of the quality of it or how much it is used. I do have a loose impression that most children are picked up by parents or other family members - this isn’t the case here. In any case I’m keen to limit wraparound as much as possible. I am considering asking for two days a week (currently work three) to help settle DS into school when the time comes. But I am conscious that I won’t be working a lot at all in that case and that will obviously have implications for pay and so on.

I am just wondering what others do. The main issue is that we don’t have a school within walking distance and any realistic primary school that’s an option for us is in the other direction to my workplace. So I’d have to drop DS quite early to then get to work on time, especially factoring in dropping DD at nursery for the two years that’s applicable! So for example, I need to get to work for 825 at the latest - and that really is the very latest. Breakfast club starts 730, so I would have to drop DS off for that, probably get to DDs nursery at 750, then I could probably get to work for 810/815. It’s an early start though as we’d have to leave the house at 720.

I am largely ‘thinking out loud’ here but interested to know what wraparound looks like for other people and any suggestions or advice on how to best make it work.

I don't because the little childminders that there are are full so I can't 😞

Part time doesn't make sense but could be not request a fixed schedule? I bet the mothers in his role are factored into their families' childcare arrangements, it's only ever men who couldn't possibly.

Three days a week ds3 goes to breakfast club at 7.50 (£1 cost) and then Afterschool Club until 5.30pm (£8.50).

So £9.50 a day for us. We both work full time compressed so get a weekday off - different days, so we have two covered.

Wrap around care is too expensive for us as we have three kids. A lot of my youngest class are one child families and they can afford it easily, morning and after school.

(£4 per child for breakfast care, £9 for afterschool care per child)

I pay £6/hour for 3 hours a day x 4 days a week for my Y6 DD. That plus some holiday club at £40/day costs me around £2500/year. Gov tops it up by 20%.

ALso childminders where we are are all full. So I can't work. Can't afford wrap around care. No family to help. Othercare full.

I'm a teacher and have always been surprised at how few children use wrap around. Everyone I knew went back to work after maternity (and their husbands still worked 0.8-full time) but somehow the vast majority of primary children use minimal wrap around. I've never had a class when more than a quarter use it on even a semi regular basis (say a couple of sessions a week, either before or after school). Usually it is considerably less than that. The number of children who attend every day before and after school has never been more than 0 or 1 per class. This is in a few different schools and at my own child's school, all of which have differing demographics.

And as I'm handing over at the end of the day, I know these childeen aren't going to childminders either. It's a mix of mums, dads and grandparents.

I do understand your preference to limit wraparound care OP. Everyone's different, but my DC prefer to be at home (I have asked incase they feel they're missing out!) and we have some lovely times together after school. My mum's job enabled her to be home after school for me and I loved it, so I want to give that to my DC. We are very lucky that DH's job means he regularly does pick up too. I know soon enough they'll want to be out with friends, so I'm making the most of having them at home!

I don't think anyone was suggesting he go part time, just request to have a fixed WFH day once a week say which is a pretty standard request. (I bet most of his female colleagues do)

It’s funny you say that @ColleenDonaghy - there are no women at his company. We were talking about this the other day. But anyway, it is just not the sort of role that lends itself to fixed or predictable hours. I honestly (promise) don’t mean this to sound as if I’m being rude as I’m not but it would be good if we could just end the DH work talk there, just because the thread can quickly turn into a critique of DHs work / our relationship and it’s not helpful. Sorry - I know people mean to be, it’s just I do know the nature of his work and there’s no way he could be WFH on a set day, not least because he could just as easily be in another part of the country or abroad.

@BlueIgIoo it is interesting you say that as that’s also been the impression I have. I don’t think wraparound is ‘bad’ for whoever asked, but personally - and what else are decisions for your own family, if not personal - it’s something I’d prefer not to use. That’s not going to be possible without giving up work altogether, and I think any benefits of that would be nulled by the disadvantages, but it is something I’d like to minimise.

I think if it's that you're worried your children won't like wraparound, it just makes more sense to wait and see rather than preemptively change your hours. Because you may well find they love it, at which point you don't have a problem. If they hate it, you can then reduce your hours.

I also think children pick up on your attitude to it. If they realise you feel guilty about it, they may start to think it's a bad thing.

I disagree. I’m the higher earned and I work 4 days. DH is the lower earner and also works 4 days. We both want to protect our careers and see our children fairly.

Before school is 4.50 per child.
After school is 12 per child.
Tax free childcare means we pay 80% of it.

If you can't factor your DH in (and I do think you should try - I have young DC and so know a lot of parents and I can't think of a single mother who isn't part of the arrangements, regardless of job or industry) then you essentially have two choices. Wraparound or give up work. There's no other magic option or we'd all be doing it.

Sticking with three days for now and hoping wraparound is a hit seems like your best plan.

My dd went to nursery 3 days at 13 months and 4 days from about 2. I was worried about wrap-around care and her getting tired but she loves it. In fact she cried to go 4 days a week so that's what she does. It's excellent and very we'll run. It has its own space in school, feels separate enough that they feel like it's "play" and fun rather than school per se
I often feel guilty and go early to get her if I can, but she never wants to leave!
My advice would be, give it a go and see how they get on. Good luck:) x

That should say "worried about wraparound care AT SCHOOL" when they have to concentrate more than at nursery

Thinking practically, I'd try to see if there's a childminder who can take your youngest (instead of nursery) who can also pick up eldest after school. Or a nearer school (sounds like there isn't?).

We use one day a week of ASC (£10.50 with dinner) which is to 18.30, and one school club (paid termly but around £8 a time) which is to 16.30.

It probably is daft to see wraparound as negative. I am projecting as I would have hated it, but I wasn’t keen on school so having to stay an extra hour or two would have been horrible!

But you only think you would have hated it. You haven't actually been.

By dc used to LOVE going to breakfast club. They got better / more choice of food there and special things like pancakes on Shrove Tuesday for example which they wouldn't have got from me, and they got to relax / chat with / play with friends. It happened to be on the premises (although I know not all OoS provision is) , it was nothing like / nothing to do with school.

The dc who went to the after school provision loved it too - in essence it is a sort of 'youth club' provision for 4 - 11s. Nothing like being at school.

But, ultimately, it is part of being a working parent.

DD (5) is year 1 and goes to breakfast and after school club 5 days a week. She loves it and complains of she gets picked up early. She’s been doing it since the first full day of reception (and she’s a late summer born so was only just turned 4). When she gets home, she just watches her iPad for a bit before we start the bedtime routine.

Neither DP or I have any flexibility over hours so understand that, although his hours luckily mean he can do pick up most days. When DD was in nursery, I had to do pick up and drop off as his hours meant he couldn’t and it all fell to me (he would however do dinner in the evening so I think I got the better deal).

Ours is £5 per session per day

BUT its always fully booked 8 weeks in advanced. So you may want to rethink your primary school choice based on wraparound care and size.

It’s true, they may love it. It is a long day though, which I’m mindful of, especially for KS1. I am leaning towards a two day week (it also has the advantage of giving me three blissful days off when both children are at school!) and then I can always increase if they love it!

Both DH and I work FT. Our 2 DCs go to ASC Monday-Friday (£7 per day per child) and breakfast club 2-3 times a week (£3 per day per child). Their school is 5 minute walk from my office in the city centre, so being able to utilise wraparound care has been beneficial for all of us.

My DH and I both work full time - our DC have always had childcare until 5:30/6pm.

At the primary school we're at, the wrap around care is popular (demand exceeds supply). They charge £6/hr

Mine go to both. It costs £7 for breakfast and £15 for after school.
They enjoy going but it’s an absolute rip off. Unfortunately we have no other options. Can’t wait until they don’t have to go anymore