New research has found that parents of Special Education Needs (SEN) children are held back by a lack of wraparound childcare, leading to reduced opportunities and children not getting the support that they need.
Around 78% of parents of SEN children use before or after school childcare and around a third actually use it daily. However, for many families, there isn’t enough childcare available and for some, the childcare that is available doesn’t meet the needs of their children.
This leads to parents having to have their children home with them while they work, leading to reduced career opportunities and limited progression.
Parents are feeling a heavy toll due to childcare limitations
The research, conducted by childcare specialists Koru Kids, found that the lack of work-life balance is hitting parents hard, with 81% of parents of children with SEN admitting that they have seen their career progression or pay suffer as a result of needing to manage childcare with work.
Even parents whose children do not have SEN are heavily impacted, but especially mothers. Three-quarters of mothers believe that their career progression or pay has been negatively impacted by the lack of childcare available in their area.
Almost three-quarters of parents of children with SEN and two-thirds of non-SEN parents say they would be able to work more hours if there was better availability of after-school care for their children.
The government’s plans don’t include improving childcare
Rachel Carrell, founder of Koru Kids, said: “It’s never been more obvious that parents are crying out for more and better childcare options – and providing them would bring immense social and economic benefits – yet sadly, the government’s plans aren’t going to provide anything near what’s needed.”
Carrell added that parents need childcare that’s flexible, and can be tailored to their requirements.
She said: “The proposals for 8-6pm care, in school, will leave behind those families that already have it the hardest; those who work shifts, travel long commutes, have children with SEN – or without SEN but who don’t want to be in school all day!
“Rather than starting with child wellbeing and mental health, the focus has clearly been on finding the cheapest possible solution.”
Families need access to childcare funding
Carrell added that Koru Kids have thousands of childcare providers that can meet the needs that parents are looking for but it’s “far too hard” for families to use childcare funding to pay for them.
She urged: “Families should be able to use Universal Credit for part-time childcare help but the system is so rigid and expensive for carers to set up, it prevents them from doing so. The world has changed, families’ needs have changed, yet the systems are still in the Stone Age.”