Childcare costs in Wales are pushing parents into poverty, according to a report conducted by Oxfam Cymru. The study, which took in experiences reported by 300 parents, revealed that the costs of care were either impoverishing families or leaving them balanced on the edge of poverty. More than a quarter (27%) of those surveyed said they spent more than £900 per month on childcare, whilst 67% had cut working hours to cope. Over half (53%) stated that there was no financial benefit to working after childcare costs, whilst two-thirds (67%) said that these expenses put them off having additional children. The report called on the Welsh government to review childcare provision.
A recent viral post from a Welsh mother of two, Stephanie Thomas, highlighted the issue, claiming that she may have to sell her home to cover childcare for her four-year-old daughter, Hayden, and eight-month-old son, Avery. With husband Chris, Thomas claims she would need highly-paid work to cover the £2,000 per month childcare costs required, and the couple had decided not to have any more children due to the expense of childcare.
Ms Thomas is not alone, as the study by Oxfam Cymru showed that the cost of childcare is forcing many parents into tough choices. The Welsh Government has two funded childcare schemes for children aged three and four, as well as some two-year-olds, including the Childcare Offer for Wales offering up to 30 hours of free childcare each week. This, combined with the ongoing expansion of Flying Start can help the situation, but demands for greater support, a universal childcare offer and measures to reduce poverty are being made.
Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, has said that early care and education should be available to all children, and that the current childcare system shows a disparity between different income families. A Welsh government spokesman insisted that addressing child poverty was a priority, promising high-quality childcare and a £70m investment in the sector to help it grow. The spokesman pointed out that the Welsh offer was more extensive than that given in England, where only 38 weeks of childcare are available to working parents
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