8 million parents rely on friends and family for holiday childcare

Almost 7 million parents (47% of people with school-age children) struggle with childcare over the summer school break, according to research by budgeting account provider thinkmoney.
 
Parents find their own ways of coping with childcare over the summer break. Relatives step in to help 6 million parents (41%) and a further 1.75 million (12%) rely on friends to look after their kids during the holidays. However, almost a quarter of parents (23%) are forced to pay for childcare and summer activities.
 
A further third of parents (36%) take time off work to spend with their children over the long summer break. Younger parents are far less likely to take time off over the summer, with only 20% of 18-24-year-old parents saying they do so, compared with 41% of 45-54-year-old mums and dads. Older parents are also far less likely to have to pay for childcare over the holidays.
 
There are strong regional variations in holiday childcare too.  People in the North East of England and the West Midlands are far more likely to be able to rely on relatives to watch the kids (57% and 52% of parents respectively), compared with just 38% of London parents.
 
Ian Williams of thinkmoney commented: "Juggling work and childcare commitments over the summer can be a real challenge for almost half of working single parents and two-parent families where both work.
 
"Millions of parents call on a network of extended family and friends to help them with their kids - but those that can't rely on someone they know often have to fall back on potentially pricey alternatives."