Before and After School Care

The previous government made a big song and dance about providing childcare solutions for parents who work and who need their children to be cared for before and after school.

But they failed to follow through.

This issue is getting worse, and the government does not seem willing to address it, even though we believe the problem is severely hampering mums going back to work.

School age children

At Tinies, we speak to hordes of parents about the issue of finding the right childcare for their school age children.

Come September, I will face the dilemma of what to do when my 2nd child starts school

There is the au pair option, but this only works if you have an extra bedroom and is not the best solution if your children need specific help with homework. Childminders can work, but often they have their own children and therefore do not want to look after other children beyond 6pm.

Finding a nanny who will happily do a few hours per day in term time, and then can switch to full days in the school holidays is what we describe at Tinies as the search for the Holy Grail!

We urgently need the government to take action

I will keep you posted on how our lobbying with Daycare Trust goes, and also on my own personal situation and how I resolve it.

Amanda Coxen, Working Mum and Tinies Director