Wednesday 30 January 2013

Child Care Crisis in the UK

Most households in the UK work, even if they have children. The children are most parents pride and joy so they want to send them to a place they will be well fed, cared for and entertained while the parent is away from them. At the moment a preschooler would go to either a nursery or child-minder where the ratio is between 1:1 and 1:6 so one child-minder can look after 6 children. However the new plans to make more childcare available mean that childcare providers can have an even larger ratio so more children to one adult which essentially means the person responsible will be stretched with their time and also the care for each child will be dropped.

International Child Care Crisis UK

Some parents will be for this change as it reduces the cost of childcare for some parents as child-minders can charge less for places because they have more places available. When child-minders had only 6 places each place was so important that they had to charge a maximum amount for each place.

However some parents will repel this change and say that one adult cannot possibly care for more than 6 children at any given time. How is it possible that you can meet the needs of 6 people all at the same time especially when they are different ages? Obviously the children who are 2 years old have different needs to a five year old or 8 year old and therefore more planning is required to keep all the age groups happy and entertained.

I think It could work as a great idea for after school clubs where you just need to pick all the kids up of a relatively same age, take them home, provide some games, books and a cooked meal and wait until their parents come to pick them up but day in and day out more than 6 kids of different age groups will just drive the adult crazy.

Is this the right solution for the childcare crisis? No, I do not think so but I am not sure what the solution is. Would it be relatives or to keep parents off work until there child is 3 years old and in Nursery or keep them out of work until their child is 5 and in full time school. For more Charlie and Lola Party Supplies

0 comments: