Parents unable to get child care go sick

With the school summer holidays in full swing, one is six parents struggling to find childcare cover will be faking sickness to get time off of work.

According to Turn2us, 70 per cent of parents are worried about being able to meet the childcare requirements allowing them to work through the summer months.

Some 13 per cent admitted having to leave their younger children in the care of older siblings because their employer was not sympathetic to their annual leave requests.

And it’s not only the logistics to worry about.

Parents will be turning to overdrafts and credit cards to try and pay their way through the additional cost of childcare.

A one in four parents say they will even be struggling to pay the household bills.

Director of Turn2us, Alison Taylor said: “Parents across the UK are very worried about the extra financial cost the school summer holidays bring, but we know that people aren’t always claiming all the financial support available to them. Government figures show that a staggering £6.4 billion of Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit goes unclaimed each year.”

Turn2us is encouraging parents to check their eligibility for additional financial support and what welfare benefits or charitable grants they may be eligible for.

For more information, visit: www.turn2us.org.uk