Childcare for Over 12s? Does it Exist?

kingfisherblue

newmumincov wrote: »

Sign your kids up for scouts/guides and you'll hopefully get at least a weeks camp out of them too.

I'm sorry, but I object to this - guiders and scouters are volunteers for children who want to participate in activities all year round. We're not babysitters for parents who are having childcare difficulties.

All money that you pay for a camp is used on accommodation, food, activites, craft materials, etc. Guiders and scouters do not receive anything as they are volunteers. They run units and camps because they want to give children opportunities. They give up their own time and holidays to do this. Many guiders and scouters cannot run camps due to their own childcare responsibilities - I'm one of them. It is unfair to suggest that somebody should join so that they can take adavantage of summer camps to help out with childcare.

I'll jump off my soapbox now.

NewCustomerOnly

This situation is getting ridiculous! David Cameron's incompetent 'Big Society' now has us all in the position of paying out just to work and lose money. Turns out that staying home actually talking to kids,baking buns,spalshing puddles in the rain and having beans on toast for lunch is actually cheaper and better value for families than driving miles in the dark, getting stressed and pushing kids out the door to strangers and working nose to the grindstone for the privilege of huge childcare costs eating all we take home! Many parents will be considering their positions on this one I think - good luck - i feel for you. (I'd never leave my 12 yr old either!) IDEA = set up a childminding business instead lol !

newmumincov

kingfisherblue wrote: »

I'm sorry, but I object to this - guiders and scouters are volunteers for children who want to participate in activities all year round. We're not babysitters for parents who are having childcare difficulties.

All money that you pay for a camp is used on accommodation, food, activites, craft materials, etc. Guiders and scouters do not receive anything as they are volunteers. They run units and camps because they want to give children opportunities. They give up their own time and holidays to do this. Many guiders and scouters cannot run camps due to their own childcare responsibilities - I'm one of them. It is unfair to suggest that somebody should join so that they can take adavantage of summer camps to help out with childcare.

I'll jump off my soapbox now.

I was being a bit tongue in cheek to be honest. Having done Brownies, Guides and Venture Scouts I'm a firm believer in the movement and I understand that it's voluntary and that it all works better when parents can pitch in to help however or whenever they can. However if you think that parents don't use these as an opportunity for extra free education and childcare, even with the best of intentions, then personally I think you're mistaken.

newmumincov

NewCustomerOnly wrote: »

This situation is getting ridiculous! David Cameron's incompetent 'Big Society' now has us all in the position of paying out just to work and lose money. Turns out that staying home actually talking to kids,baking buns,spalshing puddles in the rain and having beans on toast for lunch is actually cheaper and better value for families than driving miles in the dark, getting stressed and pushing kids out the door to strangers and working nose to the grindstone for the privilege of huge childcare costs eating all we take home! Many parents will be considering their positions on this one I think - good luck - i feel for you. (I'd never leave my 12 yr old either!) IDEA = set up a childminding business instead lol !

Funnily enough, my childcare costs were still astronomical under the last lot.

cazziebo

Childcare for 11-14 is a bit of a nightmare. I was a single parent so splitting responsibility/holidays wasn't possible. My oldest daughter spent all day (and I mean all day - from 7am until about 8 at night!) at the local stables from around age 12 so that was easy. The youngest one simply got too old for after school club - at 11 she was about 3 years older than the next youngest, and apart from a couple of nights after school where she had activities, would just go home or come to my office (I worked locally) but it wasn't a perfect solution.

During holidays, the youngest would go stay with my brother or sister who both had younger kids (both live 200+ miles away, different directions!) and she did quite enjoy being the "oldest" cousin for a few days but that wore off. One year she went to summer camp in Canada - a bit extreme - but she loved that. (one of my sisters lives in Canada and her kids went too).

I'm not a fan of the current government but as I had this problem from 2002 onwards, can't really blame today's policymakers!

gardenia101

Lots of really good ideas from people here, so thanks everyone :T & hopefully they will help some other parents struggling with childcare.

I'm not yet sure what I can do, but assuming now I haven't got the job as I haven't heard yet. But all good planning for the next one although I think finding childcare is more difficult than finding a job in the first place!

liney

Without arranged activities I would suggest:
If you work locally, your 12 year old could come and meet you for lunch at work a couple of days a week. They spend some time getting to a fro on the bus or walking and you get to check up on them. Have a picnic!

Depending on the employer you take an afternoon off as holiday each week during the school holidays, meaning morning home alone only, then you arrange for a friend to come over one day, and her to go to a friends another day.

With activities:
Our Leisure Centre activities in school holidays are up to 15 years old.

The local theatre does a Production in the school holidays for ages 8 to 19 years where they spend a whole two weeks there rehearsing in the day time.

There are also Football Camps for whole weeks or a few days at a time run by various FA teams.

The Grammar school does an Art Camp for a week.

Kids Club at the Odeon Cinema daily, and changes weekly, so that's once a week for £5.00 for around 3 hours with travelling.

Icerink does a Learn to Skate week course, so does the Ski Centre.

Mine isn't old enough yet, but at 12, with a bus pass he could be very busy!

EconomicsGirl

Childcare is very difficult to get round here too once they are school age. Thought it would be easier but no almost impossible.

Possible solutions you could consider are:
1. An au pair - would go through a registered agency but obviously then there's someone else in your house but at least if your single your don't have to worry about DH running off with them.
2. A nanny - often very expensive and again you'ld need references / police checks.
3. Relatives doing holiday cover and as suggested above during term-time.
4. Holiday clubs during holiday time - there are some great ones around.

I know it's really hard. I've just been offered a full-time job today and we have provisional childcare arranged which I'm hoping is still there but its as hard as finding a job - its crazy! Childcare.co.uk is a good place to find people if all the regular routes are full. Also NetMums have a board but do check police records and references.
Hope you find a solution - it really shouldn't be this hard!

heretolearn_2

It is a problem with that age group. A few days or even a week isn't so bad on their own, but no-one wants to leave them unsupervised for 6 weeks straight, but there is little provision for them.

Is there a school friend with a SAHM? She might be willing to have him over during the day for a week or two, in return for a bit of extra money, in an unofficial way. It's not like sending a baby off to a childminder, if it's a friend he would visit a lot anyway, what's the difference and there's no need to faff about with childminder registration etc, as it's just not the same. She is doing you a favour and you are paying her 'expenses'.

Also PGL is expensive at first look but if there is a dad around who would pay half, and you book early so you get the two weeks for price of one deal, it does work out cheaper than normal childcare. (at least that's what I found). Also if he has contact with dad, then it's dad's responsibility to cover the holidays as much as yours so your son can go stay there and dad should take his holiday during school holidays (although I never had much luck with getting more than a couple of weeks a year out of my son's dad, it all helps.)

Your family are not nearby, but again, can son go and stay for a week? Grandparents/aunties etc can be such a help. At 12 he should be able to get their by train etc if they meet him other end.

Otherwise it's a shame in a way about minimum wage for things like this. At one point I employed a 'mothers help' as they were called, youngster about 20 years old who would keep an eye on him after school while mainly doing all my housework, and did the odd week in holidays, all for about £3 an hour. But it's not so easily affordable now.

TeaCake

What about getting in contact with your local college to see if any of the mature students on a childcare course would be looking for any extra money? They'll have a CRB to show you and references from the college or placement available.