Childcare is bloody expensive!

warehouse

Marker wrote: »

That's for EACH CHILD. So if a childminder has 4 children full time to look after that's £22ph.

So childminders generally are no where near minimum wage as long as they have children to look after.

You missed my point. The parents are paying well under minimum wage for their child to be looked after and in most cases getting government vouchers to help. When our eldest was born my wife gave up work to look after her until school age, didn't complain once.

pearl123

Find a job where you can work from home until your children are of school age. Additionally, you won't miss out so much on their early years!

Marker_2

Comms69 wrote: »

Let's analyse that claim quickly.


Typical childminder, working 8:30-5:30, at £16.50 per hour (3:1 ratio) working 52 weeks a year, would be £38610, that's before overheads, like insurance, premises, utilities, activities. (or tax or NI). It's no where near £50k.

Like I said 3 childminders in 3 separate places in the UK and all of which have 1/2 paid holidays of at least 4 weeks. Likewise the child is entitled to 4 weeks 1/2 pay for their holidays.

3 children under 2, plus they are allowed a certain amount under 7 (some of which may also be full time) all 7 and overs do not get counted in ratios, but of course there is before and after school and school holidays where there will be full time hours.

As for the overheads. Most parents provide food and nappies etc themselves, the only real overheads are insurances, and the initial getting the house up to spec (most childminders work from their home).

Warehouse - I didn't miss your point at all, it is £5.50 per child per hour where you live, which is not minimum wage wh. Childminders have more than 1 child.

Marker_2

warehouse wrote: »

You missed my point. The parents are paying well under minimum wage for their child to be looked after and in most cases getting government vouchers to help. When our eldest was born my wife gave up work to look after her until school age, didn't complain once.

And who supported your wife and child?

Marker_2

happyandcontented wrote: »

I expect most start earlier than that to allow time for working parents to get to work. Also, most will not work more than 48 weeks per year.

Looking after three small children is very hard work, why should they work for minimum wage?

It amazes me that people moan about the cost of childcare but wouldn't want to stay at home and do it themselves. They should either be prepared to do that or accept that they are paid a certain rate for their skills and childminders are equally skilled in their own area.

The looking after 3 young children at £5.50 each is not minimum wage is. If my math is correctly that would be £16.50ph.

Comms69

Marker wrote: »

Like I said 3 childminders in 3 separate places in the UK and all of which have 1/2 paid holidays of at least 4 weeks. Likewise the child is entitled to 4 weeks 1/2 pay for their holidays.

3 children under 2, plus they are allowed a certain amount under 7 (some of which may also be full time) all 7 and overs do not get counted in ratios, but of course there is before and after school and school holidays where there will be full time hours.

As for the overheads. Most parents provide food and nappies etc themselves, the only real overheads are insurances, and the initial getting the house up to spec (most childminders work from their home).

Warehouse - I didn't miss your point at all, it is £5.50 per child per hour where you live, which is not minimum wage wh. Childminders have more than 1 child.

If that’s how they structured their contract- it doesn’t seem that great compared to 5.6 weeks paid holiday. Given the income in effect is 48 weeks.

Lizabeth21

Comms69 wrote: »

The solution is simple though, if/when you have a child - leave work.

This is what I did. Feel very blessed that it was a choice my husband and I agreed upon before our children were born.

happyandcontented

Marker wrote: »

And who supported your wife and child?

The poster, who is the father of the child, who else, and why ask?

onlyroz

Rather than dropping hours could you ask your employers for flexibility over start and end times so that you don’t need the breakfast or after school clubs?

We have had an arrangement for years where I do the morning school run and get into work for 9:30. Up until recently my husband worked three long days and two short ones meaning that he still worked 37 hours but was able to do the after school run twice a week. Therefore we only needed to pay for the after school club three days a week.

katiegizmo

The best thing we found, as someone else has mentioned, is finding other people in a similar situation and pooling resources. My new parent friends now our eldest is at school have been such a help as they have my child sometimes and I have their child(ren) in return and we all save a little bit here and there. This works really well on the breakfast club/ after school club runs. Sometimes feel my head will explode as every day is different with family members and extras going to different places! Other than that it's gritting teeth and counting down to the 15/30 hours etc

Not sure why people are questioning you on why you are working?!?! Or comparing to other times or circumstances, I never understand that. Childcare costs are expensive taken as part of the whole package of bills, mortgage etc etc even if in isolation they are good value.

Just make sure both of you sign up to childcare vouchers before April 2018 when you no longer can, that way you can choose which childcare scheme is best for you and will be in the future