More than half of parents in the UK spend over 20 per cent of their monthly salary on childcare, with nearly a third of parents spending 30 per cent, according to new research by the Good Care Guide.
Although half of parents say there is a problem with childcare costs, 25 per cent of parents say they either rarely, or never, ask their family for help with providing care. More than 30 per cent of parents reported that there are occasions when they worry about the standard of their childcare, while 12 per cent list taking their child to nursery for the first time as one of the most stressful times in their lives.
Of the 1,600 parents who responded to the survey, 67 per cent said the most important thing on a parent’s mind when choosing a nursery was quality of care. Only 14 per cent said that cost was the priority.
The Government is proposing to bring in 20 per cent tax relief on childcare. However, Andy Major, Director at the Good Care Guide, says the Government “need to ensure that all parents are benefiting from the changes and it’s not just another change that won’t impact those who really need it.”
Most parents (55 per cent) said that the care their child receives is always of the highest standard, while nearly a third say they are happy with the standard of care most of the time but there are occasions when they worry. Common complaints were children being able to leave unnoticed and infants being bullied by others at the nursery or suffering food poisoning as a result of being fed while in their care.
