Taboo Topics: Should working parents be eligible for 15 hours free childcare for children from 9 months old?

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With some topics difficult to talk about, CityX has launched its Taboo Topics feature, aiming to spark conversation on sensitive issues.

Being a parent can be difficult, the night feeds, seemingly constant illness, sleepless nights, and then following maternity leave returning back to work; a juggling act that can make a huge impact on the entire family.

Eligible employees are entitled to 52 weeks’ maternity leave around the birth of their child, however statutory maternity pay only covers up to 39 weeks; so many parents return to work as a necessity when maternity pay ends.

Of course returning to work raises the headache of securing childcare.  Employees are not entitled to any government funded childcare until their child is three-years-old – meaning a parent must either pay for childcare or find alternative solutions such as willing family members.

On average, childcare in the UK costs £127 per week (25 hours), per child, compared to a working parent earning around £15,000 a year on average – equating to around £60 per day.  Therefore if a parent has two children under the age of 3, they could actually lose money by returning to work.

Petition for change

A petition has now been launched to make it easier for working parents to return to work.

Harley Cuthbert, who launched a petition to the government has already received 143,591 signatures at the time of writing said: “After 9 months of maternity leave, most working mums do not receive any maternity pay and need to go back to work.

“I think all working parents should be entitled to 15 hours free childcare from the time a child is 9 months. It makes more sense to provide this funding from 9 months instead of 2 years.

“Many working families struggle week to week due to the cost of childcare. You are required to go back to work after a year of maternity pay however many go back after 9 months due to funds.

“Once you go back the majority of your wage goes to childcare and in some cases you are better off not working. This should not be the case.”

‘No plans to extend the package’

In response to this petition, a spokesperson for the Department for Education replied: “The government currently offers a broad range of childcare support and has no plans to extend the package of free childcare entitlement schemes to working parents of children over 9 months.

“This government is committed to helping working families with accessible, affordable childcare. We plan to spend around £3.5 billion on early education childcare entitlements this year alone – more than any previous Government.

“Supporting parents who want to work with the cost of childcare is important. The government offers a package of schemes: this includes the entitlement to 15 hours of free childcare a week for disadvantaged 2-year olds; universal 15 hours for all 3-4 year olds, and an additional 15 hours for working parents of 3-4 year olds.

“Parents of 3 and 4 year olds can save up to £5,000 per year in total if they use the full 30 hours of free childcare available. The government currently has no plans to extend these schemes to working parents of children over 9 months.”

The full response can be read here.

Opinions from Lincolnshire employees

Cat Maddy said: “I returned to work full-time when my twins were 10 months old, this would have made a huge difference to us.

“We currently pay out £1,500 per month on childcare for all three children!

“It’s hard trying to juggle everything, especially when the return is so small. I can certainly see why people don’t bother to go back to work.”

Andy Needham commented: “Lowering this would be a fantastic move.

“Our little one attends a wonderful nursery, which costs the best part of £200 a month where she attends 1 day a week. Whilst the financial cost seems a lot for the little she attends, she learns so much both educationally and in social development from attending a nursery with children of the same age.

“My wife took 9 months maternity leave, as her employer are very generous in providing full pay for 6 months. This helped greatly, but then a significant change in disposable income hits when childcare costs and reduction to part time hours combines.

“A reduction from 36 months to 9 would be more than welcome!”

Iain Atkinson added: “As a soon to be parent I found the childcare costs eye watering, I know personally it would make a huge difference.”

Hannah Dawson said: “A reduction from 36 months to 9 months would be a dream for me.

“I came back to work full time when my daughter was just under six-months-old and our childcare is anywhere between £800 and £900 per month, which is a real struggle!”

Lynne Morgan commented: “My children are 22 and 20 now, but I had to go back to work when they were three-months-old.

“Childcare costs nearly bankrupted us, so anything that would help with childcare costs at any age is to be welcomed.”

Charlotte Firn said: “I have an under two year old. I gave up my ‘office’ job, retrained whilst I was on maternity leave and now I have my own business in baby massage.

“The cost of childcare was one of the reasons I did this, although I wouldn’t change my mind, having that additional provision for childcare would make going back to an office job more attractive to a lot of people.

“Personally, now being self employed although I can be flexible with childcare, it is still needed and it’s at a great cost which has meant that I can’t expand as quickly as I want to.

“I am all for the age being reduced to qualify for free childcare.”