You are here: News Relief for Welsh parents as holiday childcare prices drop

Holiday childcare costs have dropped by five per cent in Wales since last summer, bringing the average parents now pay for one week of holiday childcare to £118 – lower than in both England and Scotland.

The Family and Childcare Trust’s 16th annual Holiday Childcare Survey finds that the summer holiday comes with an average price tag of £708 for six weeks of holiday childcare per child. Holiday childcare costs in England and Scotland came in higher than in Wales, with one week of holiday childcare costing £125 in England and £124 in Scotland.

In addition to the price drop, for some parents it will be easier to find childcare places this summer as holiday childcare availability for parents working full time rose from zero to eleven per cent. But despite this welcome rise, availability remains worryingly short as only one in nine local authorities in Wales reported having enough holiday childcare for all parents working full time.

Ellen Broomé, Chief Executive at the Family and Childcare Trust, said:

“The drop in holiday childcare costs gives parents a much needed moment to catch their breath. But the need for improvement remains urgent.

“Many working parents who cannot call on family and friends to provide informal childcare may still struggle to make work pay or remain in work at all this summer.

“Families need a childcare strategy from Government to make sure that every parent is better off working after they have paid for childcare, and that there is enough childcare for working parents throughout the year.”

- ENDS -

Contact: Mark Bou Mansour, Communications and Campaigns Manager. Telephone: 0207 940 7535, mobile: 07538 334 772, email: mailto:mark@familyandchildcaretrust.org.

Notes to Editor

  • In Wales, the average price of one week of full time holiday childcare is now £117.62, compared with £124.43 in Scotland and £124.62 in England. Full regional breakdown:
  • Only 11 per cent of local authorities in Wales reported having enough holiday childcare for all parents working full time. A full regional breakdown of childcare availability in Britain is available in the report.

About the Family and Childcare Trust

The Family and Childcare Trust aims to make the UK a better place for families. We are a leading national family charity in the field of policy, research and advocacy on childcare and family issues, with over 40 years’ experience. Our on-the-ground work with parents and providers informs our research and campaigns. We focus on the early years and childcare because they are crucial to boosting children’s outcomes throughout life and supporting parents to work.