Holiday childcare

[Cezzy]

I want to go back to work part time and have seen some jobs I would like to apply for but there is a big problem - what can I do for childcare in the school holidays? DDs are 9 and 11 so I need somewhere that will give them activities suited to their ages, as they are too young to be left. I also don't want to pay silly money as it wouldn't be worth working.

DP is self employed and cannot take time off as his hours are very varied and he is the main bread winner, we rely on his wages for mortgage bills and overheads for his work. My parents are elderly and while they will help out for odd days, I do not want to burden them with a committment as due to chronic health conditions some days are better than others, and ILs are unreliable, prone to ring up last minute saying not feeling up to it. Friends are not an option and there are no other family members with children.

I have looked online but can't see anything suitable. Can I ask what you all do for childcare for children of these ages in school holidays please as I have run out of ideas, thank you.

Where we live there are lots of various holiday schemes and sports activities in the school holidays. They don't always operate from 9-5 sometimes it's 10-4, people tend to change their working pattern or rely on friends/family to help out.

Our local private school runs a varied programme that is open to everyone and they do extended hours from 8-6.

These type of activities are not cheap but going for a day out adds soon adds up anyway.

Places that normally run holiday clubs include:

• leisure centres
• schools (may or may not take children that don't go to that school)
• after school club providers
• sports clubs e.g. football/tennis

Ask about and find out what other parents do.

We've used clubs and play schemes, but as others say, they often don't run the full day, so we've used our childminder to do the wraparound bit. However, you imply that you need holiday care only, so I'm assuming if you don't need term time care your work hours are short, so this sort of club may suit you. Next summer we intend to employ a student or other suitable young person as our kids have outgrown clubs and don't need full on supervision, it's more a case of a responsible adult being around.

Don't panic about cost because if you look at it on an all year round basis, you'll end up making more than you pay out. Just put money aside during the cheap months to cover the expensive month of August

Our childminder does holidays only or specific weeks. Maybe get a lust from you council and give some if them a call.

Thanks, we are in a quite rural area so there are not many playschemes, private school nearby does a holiday club but at £30 a day per child, that would be £100 a week during the summer, which working part time hours would soon go. Thanks everyone for your ideas, at least it gives me an idea what sort of thing to look for.

Contact local colleges and see if their childcare students would want to work for you? Far cheaper than qualified childcare or clubs, and as your children are older they should be fine being looked after by someone like that? The students will be looking for work like this as it makes for fantastic referenced when looking for jobs once qualified :)

You might find other parents you could swap child care with - you have their DCs some days, you have theirs in others.
Or just do what other people do and use up your hols in the school hols.

£30 per child per day is actually very reasonable and a lot cheaper than the daily rate for a nursery, which parents would pay all year round! So try not to be disheartened. You need to look at it over the course of a year- ie even if in the month of august you use all your income on childcare (or maybe even end up a bit out of pocket) over the course of the year, you're still making a healthy profit by working. Plus of course all the other benefits of working- social aspects etc. Good luck