Holiday childcare 'is a lottery'

Holiday childcare should be more than a "babysitting service", says the report

Parents looking for affordable holiday childcare face huge variations in provision, a survey has found.

In Wales 75% of parents reported a lack of holiday childcare, while in England the figure was 48% and in Scotland 38%.

There were "particular" gaps in provision for disabled children and children aged 12 and over in England, Scotland and Wales, the survey found.

The survey by the Daycare Trust used information from Family Information Services across the UK.

The costs of a full-time holiday childcare place ranged from £62.70 for local authority schemes in inner London to £113.72 a week for private, voluntary and independent schemes in outer London.

The research showed local authority-run provision is almost always cheaper than private and voluntary provision.

Offerings vary 'wildly'

But the level of local authority subsidy varied "wildly" between local authorities and regions, the survey said.

Only one third of English Families Information Services said there was enough holiday childcare for all children.

Parents must not have to choose between giving up work or leaving their children unsupervised because they cannot find or afford holiday childcare Alison Garnham

Daycare Trust joint chief executive Alison Garnham said: "Affordable and high quality holiday childcare is crucial for parents especially in the current recession.

"Parents must not have to choose between giving up work or leaving their children unsupervised because they cannot find or afford holiday childcare.

"But holiday childcare should not just be about providing a babysitting service for hard pressed parents.

"High quality holiday childcare can provide children with a stimulating, entertaining and education experience during school holidays, helping them to make new friends, stay fit and healthy and maybe learn something at the same time."

The findings were based on research data gathered from Family Information Services in England and Wales and Childcare Information Services in Scotland.