By John Bohan, Commercial Director
When is a holiday not a holiday? When managing childcare becomes a monumental feat of logistics and time-management. The 6-week summer holidays may be a welcome break for the kids but, for parents, they can be a complex problem to solve.
With 5 weeks of annual leave available per year, parents face a challenge in covering all 13 weeks of school holidays. The math simply doesn’t add up, leaving at least 3 weeks of school holidays to cover even without considering time off for a family holiday. Not to mention single parents face an even tougher situation without a second batch of annual leave to help them.
Recent research by the Department of Education reveals that nearly 90% of working parents desire more flexible or part-time opportunities to better manage childcare responsibilities alongside their careers. The poll found that over three quarters (77%) of working parents remain passionate about their job, but in a bid to establish more flexibility in their working lives, nearly 9 in 10 (88%) would be interested in more part-time or flexible opportunities. Moreover, 72% of working parents have had to take unpaid leave due to childcare duties, emphasising the significant burden this places on families.
The ideal situation for many working parents is to have a flexible working arrangement. This flexibility can take several forms: working different hours, which allows couples to alternate childcare shifts; working from home instead of the office, which is perfect for parents with children who can entertain themselves but are not yet old enough to be left alone; or working extra hours before holidays to accumulate additional leave.
The key is to speak to your employers early. The sooner you have this conversation, the more likely you are to come to an arrangement. Last year the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 was approved meaning excellent news for working parents across the UK as it allows workers to request flexible working from day 1 in a new job.
If you’re using annual leave for most of your childcare needs but still have a couple of weeks to cover, summer schools could be the answer! Look for local holiday clubs where you can drop your kid(s) off and pick them up each day like a regular school day. Or look further afield for residential options, so children can go on their own little holiday, usually for a week at a time.
These summer schools often centre around sport or creative pursuits. They’re a great way to keep the holidays full of fun! Plus, they have the added benefit of continuing a sense of structure and routine, as well as giving kids an opportunity to socialise with others their age.
Where money is tight, BBC Children in Need offer grants to holiday playschemes across the UK, to ensure that disadvantaged families can still access them.
Finally, it’s important to note that workers are entitled to 4 weeks unpaid parental leave per year. This is only available to parents who have been with their current employer for at least a year, and obviously comes with the downside that you will not be paid for this time off. However, if childcare is proving impossible to arrange otherwise, this is an option. More details can be found on the Gov website here: https://www.gov.uk/parental-leave
Parents should also be aware of the financial support available to them. Check the government website to see if you are eligible to Tax Free Childcare, or Universal Credit to support with childcare costs. With the Tax Free Childcare in particular, the number of people taking this support is much lower than the Government forecast, meaning that many eligible parents are missing out on the support they’re entitled to.
*According to The National Childbirth Trust (NCT)
Having an employer who understands what working parents need can make a world of difference. Are your employers looking out for you?
We can help you find the supportive workplace you need, and we can even help to negotiate flexible working as part of your job offer!
Call our team on 01709 723 248 for a chat about your ideal workplace, and we’ll try to make your dreams a reality.
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