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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Afterschool care for Secondary age children??

28 replies

silver73 · 23/03/2008 14:12

What arrangements do you make for afterschool care for your secondary age children when no family can help?

The only solution I can think of are au pairs but would be interested to know what other Mners do for children in year 7.

My dd will be going to secondary school in Sept...

Thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

nappyaddict · 23/03/2008 14:13

Sorry I can't help. No one I knows uses childcare once they go to secondary school.

PuppyMonkey · 23/03/2008 14:16

This has been worrying me too silver, so would be interested in other replies! Are you allowed to just give em a key then when they go to secondary school then nappy - dd1 will still only be 11...

MrsWeasley · 23/03/2008 14:16

I am home before my secondary age child so it doesn't really apply to me but a lot of her friends where parents work go home to an empty house and await parents return. Some have clubs at school (drama, choir etc)

HTH

MaureenMLove · 23/03/2008 14:27

If you look on your council website, you might be able to find some information from their Youth Team. I know there are places around here that cater for older children. I've had secondary aged children and I am a childminder.

seb1 · 23/03/2008 14:31

Another thing the government forgot about in the everyone must work plan, , lets leave children with no care provision and we will blame the parents if anything goes wrong. Cynical? who me.

Taweret · 23/03/2008 14:33

Agree with you, seb1.
There seems to be a gaping hole in childcare provision after the end of Y6.

pinkteddy · 23/03/2008 14:44

Under extended schools, secondary schools are supposed to have after school activities or 'safe place to be' up till 6pm in place by 2010. It is not childcare btw. But schools will be measured against what provision they have in place. It is worth asking your school what (if anything) they have in place - you might be surprised. However they can get away with providing nothing if they can demonstrate that there is no requirement from parents for it . Also a lot of it is sport related so if your child isn't interested in that, it will leave you with less options. HTH

OFSTEDoutstanding · 23/03/2008 20:00

Hi I am a childminder last September one of my mindees started secondary school and stopped coming during term time but still comes in holidays and this september one of my mindees will start secondary and will still come to me after school and in holidays.
Think it all depends on whether you can find a childminder who is willing to have older children and also depends greatly on the child most are capable of looking after themselves for half and hour after school if there are neighbours close by they can call on if neccessary.

Heated · 23/03/2008 20:08

A lot of secondary schools offer some sort of after school 'provision' whether it's the library kept open or just space in the canteen, although it isn't obviously the kind of care a CM would give. There isn't a large take-up at my school, perhaps 8-10 yr 7-8 students.

Tbh most year of our 7 make their own way home, either on foot or by public transport. Presumably they get home about 4-4.30 and parents get in after 5pm.

PuppyMonkey · 23/03/2008 20:30

It's all a bit sad really, thinking of my dd getting home before us and opening the door to an empty house. She has an afterschool club at the mo, at primary school.

She's not sporty at all, so hope there will be other arty type things as an afterschool activity some days when she gets to secondary school. Won't be every day though will it, so lordy knows what will happen?

Who wants to start a new business offering childcare exclsuively for older kids... I see a gap in the market!!

RahRahRachel · 23/03/2008 20:36

I think once I was in secondary school my parents paid a sixth form girl to collect my 10 and 8 year old siblings from primary school, walk us home and stay with us til they got in at 6pm. Once we were all at secondary (aged 11, 13 and 14) we just came home by ourselves.

ThePrisoner · 23/03/2008 21:15

I'm a childminder, and I also have had secondary school children - before/after school, holidays and inset days. Some of them have been children I've had since they were babies, others started later. They don't always want to be "minded" so tend to tell friends that they're there to "help" me!

Original poster

silver73 · 23/03/2008 21:49

Thanks everyone for your replies - I did not realise childminders were an option for secondary school kids but persuading her to go may be a big problem...

OP posts:

MrsSchadenfreude · 24/03/2008 10:22

Am I alone in thinking it wouldn't hurt a child of 11 + to be on their own for a couple of hours until parents get in from work?

Children where I live travel 8 miles to school on public transport - if they're capable of doing that on their own, why not let them sit on their own at home for a few hours and make themselves some tea and toast and get started on their homework?

seeker · 24/03/2008 10:26

How long are we talking about? If it's nly an hour or so, I don't think you need any after school care do yo? Can't they just let themselves in?

ScienceTeacher · 24/03/2008 10:28

Mine get off the bus at about 5pm. They get home even later when they have after school clubs. They could also stay at school and study until 6pm.

At the school I teach in, they can stay until 5.50pm.

hercules1 · 24/03/2008 10:29

Ds is in Year 7 and is usually at school till about 4.30 sometimes 5.30 doing extra curricular stuff. If he finishs earlier he often comes home to an empty house if dh is away for an hour or so. No big deal really.

dmo · 24/03/2008 11:09

my son went into yr 7 last sept and they school stays open till 5.30, the pupils are allowed to use the pc's for their homework. also loads of extra clubs on science, drama, art on different nights
also they do a breakfast club fron 8am where children can get a bacon butty etc

my other son is joining high school this sept and as yet no info on before and after shool has been given out so the best op would be to contact the school to see what services the school offer

Sidge · 24/03/2008 11:17

I might have this problem in a couple of years. Our local senior school finishes at 1430 or so.

So my DD would have to be alone from 1440 until I get home from work at about 1700. I think that's quite a long time for an 11 year old.

nappyaddict · 24/03/2008 11:55

MrsS - not alone. I used to stay on my own all day at that age in school holidays.

chel86 · 25/03/2008 10:17

Puppymokey - I'll join you!!

It's strange because at secondary school age I was travelling 15 miles by bus and then on foot to school every day, and then back again. I was allowed at home on my own and allowed to walk across the other side of the village to my friends house etc.

But, when I think about my own kids doing that, it makes me shudder!! I know I have a long way to go as eldest is only 4. We had an issue with DH ex when she was letting 11 yo sd's stay at home on their own for hours.

Oh god, I'm going to be a nightmare aren't I!!! Just thinking about what COULD happen makes me feel sick - but then if I lived life like that I wouldn't do anything or let my kids grow up!!

BabsMC · 13/10/2021 10:46

Admittedly a long time ago, but I paid a local senior pupil (age 16 or 17) to come to the house for my 3 children coming home after school. It was always from a family I knew well. This was over a few years until they were all at secondary school.

doodleygirl · 13/10/2021 10:52

If my Y7, 11 or 12 yr old DC isn’t capable of looking after themselves for a couple of hours after school I would seriously wonder what I had done wrong. I’m talking about NT children.

InTheLabyrinth · 13/10/2021 10:52

He has a key.
After school activities 2 nights a week.
But I'm usually home for 4.30, so not too long alone.
It's the school holidays that are tough (which is why I've taken a huge payout and am working in a school).

brokenhairband · 13/10/2021 10:57

They are 11! Not 3. Children of that age should be capable (if no underlying issues) of getting home on their own and being there for a couple of hours alone.
DS is in year 8, and I starting dropping after school provision in year 5 and then more in year 6 to get him ready to go home alone and be alone.
Most kids of secondary age travel to school alone on public transport, or bike or walking so being at home for a few hours alone should not be an issue. They also all have phones now which means a parent can track or be in contact.
It’s clearly different if there are underlying issues or parent is away until very late every evening. I’m not sure why all this paranoia has stated with this generation, this was totally normal a generation ago.

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