Cutting the cost of childcare!

[Nicola Carlyle]

Just wondering if someone can give this country a good ****** shake for me!!!! Just been watching the wright stuff (not working today) and one if the guests was reading they news section and the childcare fees came up briefly due to the new plans for 2015.

Her comment was why can't the government just cut the cost of childcare and it would be better? She couldn't understand how the government got the fee of £6000 approx for yearly childcare (well I can £3.50 per hour = £150 per week x 40 weeks of the year (term time only) = £6000) EASY!!!

My problem is that parents look at that and see that we as the childminder could potentially earn £18,000 a year if not more. But they forget the outgoing cost we have to cover such as insurance, ofsted fees, hearing, electricity, outings, food, craft material ................... The list is endless. This in turn means that quite often than not the childminder ears LESS than minimum wage.

When is this country going to wake up and realise that childcare costs are high because the cost of living is stupendous! Childcare is one of the most important things parents will even have to pay for and yet as usual this country wants it all for nothing. Safety doesn't come for nothing. I'm sure it would be a different story if childminders didn't exsist, nurseries closed their doors and childcare was no longer an option!!!!!!!

Sorry just needed to rant. xxx

[bunyip]

IMHO the debate is all on the wrong premise. It's not that childcare costs are too high - the problem is that wages are too low for all but the already-wealthy.

Government's only interst in reducing childcare costs is to ensure that workers have one fewer reason to demand a decent wage (ie. one that might eat into the profits of big businesses.) This sort of thing has been going on since before the Anti-Corn Law League and will continue until the revolution.

[jelly jiggles]

I get quite annoyed at parents who are always ranting and raving about the cost. They all know how much it will cost them when they choose to have a child and plan to return work. X x

[serin]

I get quite annoyed at parents who are always ranting and raving about the cost. They all know how much it will cost them when they choose to have a child and plan to return work. X x

Also it does not end when the child goes home because we have so much paperwork to do as well so it is not minimum wage for me.

[wendywu]

Childcare only seems expensive because if a parent works full time in town you have to add another 2 hours per day onto the 40 hour working week. Pay any one 50 plus hours and it will sound a lot.

If I worked 24 hours a day I could be a millionaire doh

[blue bear]

If I worked 24 hours a day I could be a millionaire doh

you would need the ratios to relax somewhat and how many years will it take to achieve your goal on £3.50 an hour

[merry]

And so what if we do earn £18,000 or more, we certainly work hard enough for it! For a lot of people that would actually be a very low wage, particularly given all the expenses, tax NI etc that have to come out of it. There is something wrong with a country that's fine about paying salaries of millions to footballers, soap actors and 'celebrities', but complains if the people looking after the thing most precious to them dares to make slightly more than minimum wage

[Nicola Carlyle]

And so what if we do earn £18,000 or more, we certainly work hard enough for it! For a lot of people that would actually be a very low wage, particularly given all the expenses, tax NI etc that have to come out of it. There is something wrong with a country that's fine about paying salaries of millions to footballers, soap actors and 'celebrities', but complains if the people looking after the thing most precious to them dares to make slightly more than minimum wage

Totally agree. I just don't see why we have to hear it all the time. Surely if they don't like it then make other arrangements instead if trying to make us feel bad.

[Lottie]

And so what if we do earn £18,000 or more, we certainly work hard enough for it! For a lot of people that would actually be a very low wage, particularly given all the expenses, tax NI etc that have to come out of it. There is something wrong with a country that's fine about paying salaries of millions to footballers, soap actors and 'celebrities', but complains if the people looking after the thing most precious to them dares to make slightly more than minimum wage

Agreed! To add to this. I don't think we earn near enough for what we do or get the recognition for it. When are some of the general public going to understand that childminding is a profession and that we are running a business and providing a service, a service where there's *OMG* costs involved. I am not providing my services from the goodness of my heart. I do this to earn a living. They aren't the only ones with stressful jobs and a family who are relying on the income.

[mum24]

The worst thing for me, is when something is mentioned about the cost of childcare, a close relative who has her child minded free of charge by me, (my choice) and taking up a place I could charge for, then joins in moaning about the cost of childcare that she doesn't even pay.

[Rachael's stars]

I agree we dont get paid enough for the responsibility we have, if I was looking for childcare for my boys id be more interested in the care and environment than a few pence extra an hour, our babies are the most important thing in our woulds so why on earth would we want childcare to be so cheap that for careres to sustain the cost would have to seriously reduce the quality of care due to the numbers of children we are expected to look after , i think the few pounds an hour childminders charge is a bargain and id happily pay more, I no not everyone is in a situation where they can afford expencive childcare and some people deserve help paying fees but for the people who can afford it yet continue to winge should start thinking about the quality of care there child is recieving and not their penny pinching you cant have your cake and eat it!

[DollsHouse]

I am half way through a degree, studying one day a week and I like ( and enjoy ) putting what I have learnt into good practice, but I do put a lot of effort in and spend alot of time, energy and money on activities for the kids. I don't have many to look after as there are a lot of cm's in my area and basically the cheapest cm will get all the work. I am charging no more than others but it does seem that it all comes down to money and I am beginning to feel like I could just not do all the work I do. Is it just me?