Campaign for affordable pre- and after school childcare?

[Talulah66]

There is no legal requirement on schools to be offer their pupils access to affordable breakfast clubs and after-school clubs, providing wrap-around care from 8am-6pm. Some schools do offer this, but many do not.

Such services do not necessarily require subsidy - parents can pay. The services needn't even be on school premises or run by the school so long as the children can be taken to/from the club safely and prices are affordable. Schools just need to have the right incentives to get provision organised.

Does anyone know of a campaign group currently pushing for a change in the law on this - that is, to make it a legal requirement for schools to offer access to such a service? I would like to sign up in support!

Alternatively, if no one is pushing for this currently, would anyone support starting up a campaign?

Also does anyone have more information on if/where this issue has been considered before?

Thanks!

I can't see how it would work, to be honest.

Teachers couldn't staff it without massive changes to their t+c.

'Affordibility' is the key word as you would have large overheads and tonnes of paperwork which someone would have to do and probably even to pay staff minimum wage (which might mean that the quality of care was not to the standard that parents may desire) would mean the prices parents pay is high.

Tgger and that's the point - in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries, childcare is a highly regarded profession. Here it's seen as something young women who didn't do too well at school do. It's such a short sighted attitude - my DDs went to full time nursery from 6 months and seeing how wonderful the staff were with them and how brilliantly they developed it was horrifying to think what a pittance they were paid for such responsible work.

A system like the Danish one has to be paid for, though - Denmark is a very high tax country compared to the UK. Personally I'd rather pay more tax and live by the Danish social model, but I'm not sure enough people in the UK feel the same way. It would mean a complete shakeup of UK culture - Denmark has far, far lower differentials between the poor and the wealthy than the UK for starters, and no class system.

the childcare profession here is becoming alot more professionalised and to be honest the less able students wouldn't be able to keep up with the amount of paperwork required! i have met quite a few top A level students who are in the profession, they certainly aren't stupid

shame the government keeps changing the goal posts though as the (after school provision) industry was becoming led by degree educated students but now the current government don't see it's worth! not surpising the the majority of people who work in after/before school clubs tend to not stick around.

Letseatgrandma, it is entirely possible. The staff at DD's school are all qualified and the leader is a retired teacher.the school is big so other clubs use it at the same time and it is all run by a parents committee for less than £3/hr.
Parents can get together and organise this, but it does take some heavy committment in the early days.

Yep pointythings. I was quite inspired by the interview I heard. It makes sense to me, but as you say it would take a real change in culture and a lot higher taxation.

germyrabbit but is the professionalisation lading to better pay for people working in childcare? Because it bloody well should.

I never meant to imply that people who worked in childcare were people who did not do well in school, just that they were perceived that way...

The staff at the nursery my DDs attended were intelligent, articulate and knowledgeable about their chosen profession, and they were not being properly rewarded. They made my DDs happy and confident, and both of them started school well ahead of the curve. DH and I are pretty good parents, but it was definitely a partnership.

My DDs will start at new school with breakfast club and afterschool club. It works out at £5 an hour per child, so not a cheap option for us. We have tried au pair, nannies, childminders, relatives. All had their problems, lloking forward to some stability and fun for the children (rather than carting about, watching too much TV whilst food getting cooked etc).

I don't think it should be a legal requirement for this but at least schools should be open to the idea of clubs running on their premises. I expect it may even help with parking problems at pick-up time :)

Nobody is going to accept minimum wage when they have for example a degree in Early Years Education and could complete a PGCE course in 1 year that would double their salary overnight working as a teacher instead.

They might have to if they can't get a job teaching. There are lots of teachers out there who are having to work as LSAs or cover supervisors because they are unable to secure a teaching post!

I am shocked at a childminder charging £6.00 per child per hour. Most I know in our area charge about £3.50 per hour. We also have a breakfast/afterschool club charging similar.