not one pre or after school club place has become available for next year

[swallowedAfly]

clues in the title really but...

i'm a single mum returning to uni to gain a further professional qualification. only one day a week (plus some placements and things i can fit in during school hours) and so i needed just one after school slot a week. i put my name down months ago and finally got a call today saying not a single place for any sessions or new children had become available.

all childminders have their max number of children they can do post school. i live in a village, though not a small one really, so no other options available.

how on earth are women meant to work - let alone single parents without a partner to share childcare needs and who are currently having their housing benefit cut by 10% if they haven't found a job within 12months of their children starting school?

anyone had similar problems or am i in some random time warp where childcare doesn't exist for school age children. my son is 5 btw.

could you suggest that they expand the after school club if the demand is there.

swallowedAfly - you're not alone. Similar situation here. Childminders are all full and I had my DD on waiting list for after school club for 2 years before we got a place.

I did ask the question why they couldn't expand but the problem is lack of physical space. They legally can't fit any more children in.

Having recently had a redundancy scare I've been thinking about childcare a lot and I too just don't understand how as a single parent I'd manage if I lost my job and had to look for another one. I get some tax credits towards the cost of my childcare but if I were made redundant they would stop and I'd be unable to pay the childcare fees (DD is school age and DS is 4 so not yet at school). However, as soon as I gave up my childcare places I'd be back on the lists so how on earth would I be able to be flexible and take up a job offer with a few weeks notice. Then I'd be one of those single mothers loved by the Dail Mail living on benefits who is too lazy to get a job.

My only suggestion is that you try and find some other parents who are in the same predicament. Before we got the place at the club I used to look after various neighbours children in the morning and in return they used to do the school pickup. I say parents but they were all mums. I may be the only single mum around here but when it came to arranging childcare it seemed the husbands absolutely refused to help out and my female married acquaintances where on their own too.

fortunately other than the odd time (when i guess i will just have to leave college early) my family should be able to help out. but for some women this will be literally a complete obstacle to working.

they will be having their benefits taken away because they aren't working but literally unable to work because of zero available childcare. it is disgusting and blatant discrimination.

this new legislation that will see them lose ten per cent of their housing benefit means women and children unable to pay their rent and with zero alternative as we don't have a market of jobs available from 9.30 till 2.30 and no childcare places to let them work outside of that.

they have no intention of expanding - it makes enough money as is without having to change anything and realistically they have no social responsibility or concern about the needs of parents - no incentives to do so. realistically it would take legislation that said there needs to be an after school place made available for every child who needs it before this situation changed. meanwhile women are forced to take shitty part time jobs with low pay and no benefits such as decent sick pay, pension etc if they are lucky enough to be able to find it in school hours (or have a partner they can do shift work around) or forced to stay on benefits but to have those cut till they're evicted for not being able to meet the rent.

madness.

i'm the only single mum around here too btw. i suspect it's easier in areas where there are more living closer together.

have to say i really don't like the idea of people being forced to use private childminders - i personally wouldn't want my son being picked up by someone and taken to their house unless i knew them, and their partner, family and friends, very well.