CYP Now - Opinion: Debate - Should grandparents receive payment for childcare?

Age Concern has calculated that unpaid childcare by grandparents is worth almost 4bn a year and says their contribution is often under-valued. More than a quarter of families rely on grandparent childcare every week, it says.

YES - PETER HARRIS, CHAIR OF THE GRANDPARENTS ASSOCIATION

What a grandparent is paid is for each individual to decide with the parent for whom they're providing childcare. We're not advocating payment from the state, but don't see why grandparents should not get the tax credits the Government gives to other childcare providers. Without grandparents, the cost of childcare to the country would be far greater: parents would pay much more for childcare or work part-time, which means an economic loss to both the individual family and employers.

YES - JEAN STOGDON, CHAIR OF GRANDPARENTS PLUS

There is a big difference between a grandparent who occasionally helps with childcare and one who provides full-time care. The issue is whether you should get government money without being accountable. The clearest thing would be for the money to go to parents to give to the grandparents, but ensuring this happens could be difficult. Payment between relatives is problematic; we need more research on how it could work. The big issue is how government fails to appreciate the invisible childcare grandparents provide.

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