Childcare costs rise, says new survey
The Daycare Trust has today released
its annual childcare costs survey. The costs of all forms of
childcare have risen and, although childminders appear to show the
steepest rises compared with nurseries they are still slightly
cheaper.
Andrew Fletcher, Director of Communications at the National
Childminding Association, commented:
"The costs of childcare, particularly in today’s difficult
economic climate may, on first reading of this survey, seem high
and hard to afford for many families. We support the Daycare
Trust’s recommendations that Government ensures the availability of
affordable childcare, particularly in poorer areas or for those
parents struggling to access places, such as families with disabled
children.
"Although the eight per cent rise in childminder fees appears
large, registered childminders still compare favourably with other
forms of childcare. The average weekly childminding fee for a child
under 2 is £155 compared with £167 for nurseries. This average fee,
which equates to £3.12 per hour, should be reviewed in light of the
high-quality professional childcare and early education service
that childminders offer to families. We know from evidence that
many childminders find it challenging to sustain their business,
with fees often including costs for outings, meals, nappies and so
on.
Our latest data
shows that just over 50 per cent of childminding businesses turn
over less than £7000 per year and many don’t even manage to break
even.
"Addressing challenges of sustainable childcare at a price that
parents can afford requires a coordinated approach from government
at a national and local level, with increased investment essential
across the sector."
There is more about the survey on the
Daycare Trust's website.