Expert parenting advice to beat ‘skyrocketing’ childcare costs.

As the summer holidays approach, some parents are facing a brutal increase in the cost of childcare while school is out. The cost of holiday childcare is rising faster than inflation across the country, with parents paying an average of £61 more this summer than they would have 10 years ago, new research shows.

The Moneyboat study showed that the headline inflation rate in the UK between 2014 and 2023 was 32.25%, while the cost of childcare almost doubled to 63.61% over the same time period. As many parents struggle to budget for the cost of childcare for the summer, parenting coach Isobel Mary Champion has shared some smart tips for saving this summer.

Isobel stressed that parents should look for alternative childcare options that could offer greater savings in the long term, such as summer camps and activity clubs with a variety available across the country. She shared, “There are so many summer camps and activity clubs available these days – the choices are staggering!

However, she admitted, “If you have two or more kids, then the cost of summer camps and activity clubs really skyrockets! Paying per child for an activity isn’t always the best option for larger families, so it might be worth considering another childcare option that doesn’t multiply in cost based on the number of siblings, such as hiring an au pair for the summer, or asking students you know if they would like to earn some summer babysitting experience.”

Isobel also advised families to call on the trusty phrase ‘it takes a village’, saying: ‘Sharing childcare with another family is a great idea – suggest taking turns looking after each other’s children once or twice a week and ask all available relatives. for regular childcare help – aunts, uncles, grandparents, godparents can enrich your child’s life.” For those who might be a bit shy about asking for help, Isobel added: “These people are all part of your child’s support network.”

The Moneyboat study found that parents in Wales face the biggest change in costs as they pay £104 more this year than in 2014, with London having the highest rate this year with £168 .66 pounds. While the North West has seen the lowest rise at £44.36 and the East of England has the lowest average cost this year at £142.31.

Looking ahead, Moneyboat has predicted that the average cost of childcare on holiday in 2030 will be £230.44 if it continues to rise at its current rate. The increases will see Wales overtake London as the most expensive area with a staggering £357.71 charge, while the North West will take the cheapest title at £193.38.