The Childcare Costs Survey 2010, from national childcare charity Daycare Trust, is calling for an election commitment from all parties to make greater investment in childcare, as the soaring cost of childcare across the UK is revealed. 

The survey, which is compiled annually from figures submitted by Family Information Services in England, Scotland and Wales, examines by region the cost of childminders, nurseries and after-school club provision based on 25 hours’ use a week (or 15 hours for after-school clubs). This year’s findings showed that nursery costs have continued to rise significantly throughout Great Britain. Childminder costs have also increased across Britain in the past 12 months. Reversing the trend from the previous year, out-of-school club costs swelled in England, but decreased in Scotland and Wales.

This upward trend is sure to be of concern to relocating families, particularly those in which both parents are working.

Legislation to give parents more choice and flexibility in how they use maternity and paternity leave is to be introduced under new Government plans. 

New fathers can take advantage of additional paternity leave and pay during the second six months of a child's life if the mother wishes to return to work with maternity leave outstanding. This, the Government says, will enable parents to share a period of paid leave between them, giving families greater flexibility in how they choose to look after their children. 

In order to give employers time to adjust, the changes will be introduced for parents of children due on or after 3 April 2011. 

The move comes as the Government publishes its response to a consultation on the subject held at the end of 2009.

 Key points of the new regulations: 

• Fathers will be entitled to up to six months' extra leave, which can be taken once the mother has returned to work
• The new provision will be available during the second six months of the child's life, giving parents the option of dividing a period of paid leave entitlement between them
• Some of the leave may be paid if taken during the mother's 39-week maternity pay period. This would be paid at the same rate as Statutory Maternity Pay (currently £123.06)
• Parents will be required to 'self certify' by providing details of their eligibility to their employer. Employers and HMRC will both be able to carry out further checks of entitlement if necessary

The Government has tabled the regulations for Parliament to consider as soon as possible. They will need to be debated and approved by each House before they can be implemented. Subject to this, the Government intends that the law be in force by April 2010 and have effect for parents of children due on or after 3 April 2011.

Specialist provider of family-friendly benefits and emergency life factor services My Family Care has teamed up with US company School Choice International to give corporate families in the US and UK access to a full continuum of work/life services, from preschool and emergency childcare and school age care to elder care, with a singe point of contact.

Ben Black, of My Family Care, said, “In today’s world, there is no simple choice between work and family. With more dual-career couples, more employees have care commitments, and supportive family services are critical to a company’s bottom line. If employers want to ensure a productive staff – to recruit, retain, engage them and address absenteeism head on – they need to help employees balance childcare, children’s schooling and elder care needs along with their work responsibilities.”

For further information, visit www.myfamilycare.co.uk

My Family Care, the UK's largest provider of employee backup care benefits, has acquired Tinies UK Ltd, the crèche, holiday club and onsite nursery provider, in a move that broadens the range of family-friendly employee benefits it provides to employers. The company also reported continued strong growth in its emergency child and eldercare services, with 19,000 hours of care provided in 2008 to over 5,000 parents and carers registered to use the service.

Childcare voucher provider Early Years Vouchers Ltd says that many working parents are not aware of the significant savings they can make on breakfast and after-school clubs. Working mums and dads can save almost £100 per month each on childcare costs for these clubs, which are for five- to 16-year-olds, but a large number are missing out because of the commonly-held belief that childcare vouchers are just for pre-school infants.

Amanda Ward, Director of Early Years Vouchers Ltd, said, “There is definitely a lack of knowledge surrounding where parents can make childcare cost savings. Nurseries and childminders are the obvious choice, but parents only really need these up until their children start school – and then it can be difficult to juggle full-time employment and look after young children. After-school activities are a great option for parents, because many clubs pick the kids up from surrounding schools and they play together in a safe environment until their parents get home."



In addition to breakfast and after-school clubs, childcare vouchers from Early Years Vouchers can be used for:

• Day nurseries (private, community or local authority)
• Workplace nurseries
• Childminders
• Pre-school playgroups
• Nursery schools
• Holiday clubs
• Nannies

Autumn 2008 has seen the introduction of new statutory legislation requiring all Ofsted-registered childcare providers in both the state and private sectors to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage framework (EYFS). All providers, be they childminders or nursery schools, are required to use the EYFS to ensure that whatever setting parents choose, they can be confident that their child will receive a quality experience that supports their development and learning. The framework spans 69 writing, counting and problem-solving skills targets for children under the age of five, and government ministers insist that the compulsory regime will ensure that all children get a good start in their education.

What might this mean for relocating families and their choice of nursery school or childcare? Anne Stewart is assistant principal and an early childhood expert at ACS Cobham International School. She is overseeing the implementation of the framework in the international-school context and, in broad terms, welcomes the initiative – with the proviso that it stays true to its stated principles of learning through play and developmentally appropriate activities.

Ms Stewart says, “The new framework recommends a learning-through-play approach to early years education. This educational philosophy, supported by international research, has always been fundamental to ACS’s approach. We believe that a structured, play-based approach is important to a child’s intellectual development; for example, we use water play to help children learn about concepts such as volume, problem solving, prediction and co-operation.”

In the majority of areas, experienced providers will take the EYFS as a baseline, and pre-existing teaching approaches will go above and beyond the statutory targets.

www.acs-england.co.uk