Choosing the right childcare for bubba is a difficult task. Not everyone has grandparents that are willing or able to help out, although it does seem to be a favoured workaround for managing the exorbitant cost of childcare. 89% of grandparents are currently providing childcare at least once a week for their offspring’s offspring, but how much does it cost those without the luxury of available extended family?

After deciding what will be the ideal choice for your bubba; nursery, childminder, nanny or au pair - there will be a careful consideration of the costs involved. Parents can expect to pay around £7000 a year for early years childcare in 2021. That’s not an amount to be sniffed at, and at that price for one child, may seriously make families consider whether bubba will be getting the brother or sister originally hoped for.

There are other factors besides money to consider when selecting childcare. Many children are making it to first year at primary school, not ‘school ready,’ in the sense they have developed a problematic, deep attachment to their parents, which will only have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Pre-school childcare may need to be considered not just as a practical option for working parents but also for the confidence and social development of their children. Stay-at-home parents during COVID, may not have had the social outlets and regular group activities that their pre-pandemic counterparts took for granted.

The government is offering funding to help parents via the Nursery Education Grant. https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds The grant offers 15 hours of free childcare to all three and four year olds. It must be with an approved childcare provider, such as registered childminder, nanny, playscheme or bursary club. You can find an approved childcare provider through Ofsted. Information can be found on the government website https://www.gov.uk/find-ofsted-inspection-report

Childcare in the UK, alongside Japan, is the most expensive in the world. This being the case, parents choosing a future employer may very well be heavily influenced by those who can help provide quality childcare and who are willing to provide flexible working for families. It will also be a big factor in creating loyalty with employees. This could seriously reshape the working world for parents and particularly women; many who have been frozen out of work since the pandemic. Families, who were able, flocked from London over the last two years, and with childcare costs as they are now, it is a wonder if they will choose to return.

For more reliable information on how to find suitable childcare and up to date information on costs https://www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/where-find-information-about-local-childcare

We are joining are the fight against the ongoing and rising costs of childcare within the UK. Bubba & Me, as a local business in Tunbridge Wells, will be writing to our local MP to voice our concerns. We also want to share our support for the ‘Pregnant Then Screwed’ campaign. We urge our followers and customers to join us on this fight, it’s about time something changed.