Schools should 'provide sleepovers' to help parents with cost of childcare

[Itchyandscratchy]

Here

Speechless.

nonsense

Lots of schools do this already. Ds loves it and it means when I'm away I don't have to sort out complicated childcare.

erm, i'm the same.....i'm sure the government used to complain that families didnt spend enough time together, surely instead of asking school to take on more, they should be helping businesses becoming more family friendly.

Schools are about education-they are not childcare. These people need a boarding school.

Lol at sleepovers! There won't be room in the classroom cupboards for resources any more as teachers will need somewhere to store their camp-beds.

Erm... hello?!?

Are all the naysayers on this thread HOUSEWIVES?!? Or not living in the MODERN WORLD?!?

How I wish I could be a Doris Day-like SAHM!!!

My (female) colleagues and I have been discussing schools, and everyone agreed that school that ends at 3pm does not really bode well for a parents' career (mostly the mother's)!!! If there was a school offering this kind of stuff, we'd all be supporting this in an instant.

It's not too different from a preparatory school with a flexi-boarding option! It's just you have to pay a lot more for that.

I'm with huffle. Make businesses more family friendly, not schools more business friendly. Within reason.

Breakfast clubs and after school clubs till about 6pm, yes. Holiday clubs yes. (its what most private schools offer - for a price of course)
Sleepovers are probably going too far - logistically far more difficult.

At the moment, too many parents find that they can manage up till school age because nurseries have long enough hours for enough weeks of the year (or if they're lucky, have a nanny) - school days are really difficult unless you've got local grandparents or other family or suchlike to help. I downshifted to half time when DD started school - between dropping her off in the morning and picking her up in the afternoon there really wasn't time for more in between. I don't know how people manage to continue full-time jobs once their kids are school age.... I don't know many mothers who do, apart from those with young enough grannies nearby.

Children need to be with their parents.
If this is how it's going, then the next stage is battery farm type places for children.
Parents need to bring up their children, not schools.

Childminders are great...home setting. Affordable.

I think childcare provided by childcare professionals is a good idea .

If we are at the stage that children need to sleep at school something has gone seriously wrong

The best interests of children clash with the best interests of industry. It's just the way it is. The two will never match. This article mentions one school offering sleepovers thus I think the headline is misleading.

It's a shame. Wrap around childcare will be more convenient for parents but I'm not convinced it's in the best interests of the children.

There is definitely a need for the government to think about affordable childcare and I think this is a step in the right direction.

With regards to sleepovers, I am not sure how easy this is to organise, but I know loads of times DH and I have had to take leave/go on sick leave/make excuses as a business trip away coincided with the other person's. Great if you have family willing to babysit overnight, but not so great if you don't.

This would be very occasional but we know some single parents that struggle with this hugely and these days you have to travel with a large variety of jobs and saying no is not taken kindly.

Who would actually want that job? I can't cope with one friend for a sleepover!

And what Four gates said

Fantastic idea,school could do 24-7 allows parents work even harder
Love it
Maybe install webcam can watch kids on Internet whilst working

Fuck it - just hand them to us at birth - we will return them to you at 18.

Great idea

I wander how the government could afford to pay teachers (presumably) an extra hourly wage to look after children all night.
I think a school is a school and many provide wrap around care already.
THe practicalities of this would be ridiculous- where would the children sleep? What happens if they're ill? WHat would be the bed time? What about children with additional needs? The list goes on
Bad idea...

I don't see the teachers taking extra hours,they claim they're overburdened as it is
The govt could get the kids gainfully working on a piece rate whilst detained
Sure to go down a treat