Childcare for working parents: the options you need to know about

Cassie Blackwood, Early Years Specialist at Premier Education explores the main school childcare solutions all working parents should be aware of.

If you have primary school aged children and a full time – or even a part-time job – there’s every chance you find childcare a struggle. Yes, your little one might be at school five days a week, but with the school day only covering six hours of the day, and with school holidays coming around every six weeks, there will still be lots of times when childcare is needed.

Whether you have a little one at school and find the juggle increasingly hard, or are looking ahead to when your child starts next September, finding out about the options in your area is vital.

Here at Premier Education, we’ve been running after school sports clubs and multi activity camps for many years, but over the past few years we’ve also been running wraparound childcare. This invaluable before and after school provision allows parents to work more easily and has become a focus for the government too.

We’ll take a closer look at wraparound childcare and other forms of school childcare as we dig a little deeper into the best options for you as working parents.

Term time childcare

As we’ve already said, childcare support is still needed for younger children during term time to cover the tricky before and after school periods.

So what are your options? Of course, if you’re really lucky you have grandparents nearby who are willing to help out, or are able to call on friends to help with pick-ups. But while these are great options (and free!) there are likely to be instances when they can’t help, so then what do you do?

Local childminders are often utilised to help with pick-ups from a child’s school, taking them to their home for some after-school games and providing tea. Although this can be a great option, you might find your youngster gets bored and you’ll also have the issue of finding a back-up whenever the childminder is sick or takes a holiday.

Although wraparound childcare has been around for many years, not every school offers it currently. But the good news is, this is about to change. Let’s cover the main points that you need to know.

What is meant by wraparound care?

Quite simply, wraparound childcare refers to a provision which allows primary school aged children to be dropped off before school starts and picked up after the school day ends.

You may also hear wraparound care referred to as breakfast clubs or after school clubs, however it is a different type of provision to out of school activities that can be a one off activity and are usually just for an hour.

Can anyone use wraparound childcare?

Yes, any parent of a primary school aged child is eligible to access this important facility.

What do children do during wraparound childcare?

At Premier Education, our wraparound care provision is a whole lot of fun! We carefully plan our sessions to make sure they are varied and suited to all ages.

We know that breakfast clubs might see some sleepy children so we aim to get them ready for the day with a range of activities as well as a nutritious breakfast. After school, children can expect games, crafts, sports, quiet time for reading or school work, as well as a tasty and energy-boosting snack.

Do schools have to offer wraparound care?

The reason you’re hearing more and more about wraparound childcare is that the government wants all primary school aged children to be able to access it from September 2026.

The provision doesn’t have to be on the school site, it might be held at a local community centre or similar setting and can be run by private, voluntary or independent providers.

If your school doesn’t currently offer wraparound childcare, it’s worth contacting the Family Information Service, which is run by the Local Authority, to find out what else is available in your local area.

What is the cost of wraparound childcare?

Wraparound childcare places come at a cost, which is defined by the school or provider. Parents pay the providers directly to secure the child’s place.

Can I get any help with funding for wraparound childcare?

If you are eligible for Tax Free Childcare or Universal Credit, then you can use these funding options towards any childcare costs including the cost of wraparound care.

School holiday childcare

As a working parent, holiday childcare will also be on your to-do list. You’ll no doubt try and make the most of your annual leave, but it’s unlikely to cover all of the school holidays. So what’s the answer? We believe school holidays can bring fun, learning opportunities, skill development and even new friends with the help of dynamic holiday camps.

Summer camps – or camps at half term or any other time – allow parents to work during school breaks and know that their kids are enjoying learning new skills, having fun playing team games and being introduced to different sports and activities.

Read on for the lowdown on camps and find out more about why camps are so beneficial.

What types of camps are there?

There are camps for all interests out there. We offer multi-activity camps, sport-specific camps and performing arts camps. Read more about our role in holiday childcare and how we can help.

Do kids sleepover at camps?

Most holiday camps in England are not residential. We like to offer parents options in terms of how long a child is at the camp, with longer days to help fit in with work schedules, or shorter days depending on your preference.

Is there a minimum age to attend a holiday camp?

Different camp providers will have different minimum ages, so it’s worth checking in advance.

Do camps run all year round?

Ours do! Naturally, we all think of summer camps as being the most popular due to this being the longest break, but we run camps during all holidays: Easter, Christmas and half term.

We plan a varied range of activities whatever the time of year and whatever the weather! Kids love the adventure of making new friends, trying new activities and generally having fun over the holiday period.

Are camps safe?

Holiday camps are still subject to Ofsted registration, giving you peace of mind that they are regulated and inspected, and run with quality and safety in mind.

Safeguarding is a huge priority for us, and we have processes and procedures in place to ensure your child is in safe hands at all times. All of our activity professionals (the coaches who run the camps) are highly trained and have undergone all of the required safeguarding training.

Let us ease the childcare pressure

Hopefully this has given you some helpful insight into how to manage the challenging issue of childcare both in and outside of term time. Here at Premier Education, we make it our mission to keep children active and well cared for at any time of the day, or year!

If your school doesn’t currently run wraparound care, it is no doubt planning to set one up, so it’s always worth asking for a timescale and what other provisions exist in the meantime.

If you are always stuck when it comes to holiday childcare, find your nearest Premier Education camp today!