CYP Now - Opinion: Soapbox - It's high time holiday care was better funded

In the Daycare Trust's annual holiday childcare survey for 2007, more than half of children's information services told us parents still find it difficult to find holiday childcare places, and at a price they can afford.

Thirty per cent of services reported a fall in full-time places. Andmore than half reported a lack of affordable, quality holiday childcare.The average weekly cost for holiday childcare in England was 83.19.

But good holiday childcare is a necessity and the search for interestingholiday activities for school-age children is a heart-ache for workingparents. Our research with low-income parents, particularly lone-parentfamilies, shows the lack of holiday and other out-of-school provisionprevents them taking up employment.

Low-income parents may be eligible for help with costs through thechildcare element of the Working Tax Credit, but we know many parentsfind tax credits mind-boggling. The Daycare Trust is therefore happy toprovide training for workers and a helpline for parents.

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