School holiday childcare.

[Singletomingle]

I'm recently seperated and really wondering how people cover childcare during school holidays? So far I've taken spring half term as holiday, have 2 weeks booked for summer and October half term booked off which leaves me 2 days. I have bank holidays off too hence 22 days. Obviously this leaves 9 weeks of holiday where there is no family support do others take unpaid leave or use holiday clubs? If holiday clubs are costs split 50/50 whatever?

Holiday clubs here. Can't answer your question about how the costs are split though I'm afraid.

What are contact arrangements id be inclined to say all holidays are 50/50 split in terms of time spent with the children. So any childcare required is on the parent whose time it is on.

Or you ask for 50/50 split of costs but if hes a knob chances are he will say that's what maintenance is for

Yes, I agree with combat - split the holiday time 50/50, and whoever is in charge of the DC for that time makes the decision of how to cover it.

My children are with me 95% of the time and I pay all childcare . I claim tax credits so this covers some of the childcare .He does have them some of the holidays though .

I’m not separated but I don’t think it makes a difference. We use holiday club for 3 days (which we cover jointly according to our salaries). For the other two days (holiday club only open 3 days), we each cover a day. So I am taking AL on my days. Dh is self employed so he doesn’t get AL, but he’s taking off most of the summer holiday days that are his, but then arranging MIL to do one or two (mostly because she wants to).

I think either do holiday club and cover that cost jointly or share holidays equally and whoever has the holiday has to sort out what to do.

Ask for unpaid leave, see if you can swap days with friends, pay for holiday club. Costs / time should ideally be split with other parent.

Thanks so 50/50 split on costs. Just out of interest what does everyone pay for holiday clubs my ex has told me its £50 a day per child which seems reasonable for a day but gets very expensive very quickly?

£28 a day on the south coast.

Not wanting to scaremonger but have you actually booked anything, our summer clubs were announced in May for summer holidays, vast majority are full and have waiting lists

Holiday clubs. Ours costs about £35 a day I think. Booked it for the summer last week, there was still limited availability.

I use a subsidised holiday club at a local primary school, £18 per day per child for 8am to 6pm, snacks included but I send them in with a packed lunch. Much cheaper than any of the other ones I have seen and my 2 love it! It's worth asking around at schools, this club is not at my DC school but they take local children.

Holiday clubs. And as another posters have pointed out, you book them one holiday ahead. So summer ones are booked in May.

Up North, our council subsidised one is £28 but only runs 8:45 to 4 (because that's handy...). You provide own snacks, lunch etc.

Kings Camp (our other option) is more expensive but has longer hours (like 8-6 ish) and is a more fun experience for kids.

You might find the £50/day is the one-off price, but it will come down if you book a whole week or for second sibling etc.

Unpaid parental leave and holiday clubs. £450 in clubs just to cover my part time work this summer alone 🤮. And that's with two weeks off unpaid.

£25 a day here if booked in advance. £28 normally. But that is one of the cheaper clubs. However they release bookings before may half term and when I went to book start of June last year when I split with my ex there were not many days left.

You may find there is not much choice at the cheaper end this late.

It varies in price, locally there's non profit ones for about £15 a day but they tend to be 9-5 strictly, the council one runs 8.30-5.30 for £25 a day including sports but it's full. Civil service runs one for anyone in government jobs for £15 a day. But none of these take under 8's they need different ratios, ymca does take them at £30 a day

Do you need all day or can you cope with school hours... If can Google sainsburys active kids... £7.50 a day including lunch if there is one close to you!

I assume DC has only started school this year so this is the first time you’ve had to deal with long holidays but it is very late to only now be thinking about what you’re going to do in the summer. Can you ask some of the school mums what their children are doing? Some of my DC friends do the same club which is great.

I am 😬😮 at some of the holiday camp prices in the uk. One of the ones my dc go to here is 90 for the WERK 9-5 and that’s a full on sports camp with a swimming lesson included!! Another one they do is a science camp but that has less hours!!

Thanks everyone guess its expensive because its been booked late and not much choice. Unfortunately wasnt needed 6 weeks ago as my ex wasn't working and due to travelling time and hours it has to be 8-5.

Not a single parent but both out working FT. Once DD got to school, her afterschool club (in a crèche) could do all days in summer but she found it boring so she only did 2 weeks there, 2 weeks holidays with us (and I usually managed a 3rd week off), 2 weeks in an all day sports camp near my work, 1 week visiting DGPs (we drove down the weekends either side) and 1 week she did a half day camp near my office and I took afternoons off.

The real chaos was only for a couple of years, as once she turned 6, she had discovered sailing and they also did all day, week long courses. (Most camps and courses near us are only until about 2pm!). So at the end of 1st class, she did 1 week, at the end of 2nd class she did 2 weeks, at the end of 3rd class she did 4 weeks, and even now in secondary school, she has done every single week of summer doing sailing or other watersports since (includes Scout camp as they are seascouts so camp in a field on the edge of a lake and spend all day on the water).

If it wasn't needed until the last minute as XH was to cover, is he now willing to cover part of the costs at least, having let you (and more importantly, the DCs!) down?!

I am the ex husband just trying to do the best for my kids

OK, apologies for the assumption, but the question still is relevant - if XW was to provide cover and no longer can, is she willing to cover part of the costs?

Yes it was ExW who organised the holiday club. I've covered half of childcare costs since we split just seemed a bit unfair getting a sudden rather large bill or have to take another 2 weeks of the holidays off unpaid.

My OH has 2 kids.

Holidays are split 50/50 with his EW.

He takes leave or pays for cover on his time only.

It’s up to the EW to foot the bill on her time.

I should add he pays £700 pm CM (well over the CMS stated amount) and mother chooses to work 16 hours a week (kids are 10 & 14) so she gets government help with childcare costs.