In your life as a parent the need to use childcare can raise some of the most difficult questions…..

Making your choice of childcare

Putting the cost of childcare to one side for a moment we can consider the types of childcare available. They are:

Nanny / Child Minder: The difference being that a nanny may be at your home whilst a child minder may be look after your child elsewhere. Either way though you need to find someone who you trust and is able to prove their experience of looking after children. A person of pleasant disposition with a caring attitude is essential. It is also beneficial for the carer to have a similar approach to children as you and your partner have.

Nursery: A nursery usually involves leaving your child with several other children in an environment that is specifically designed for children. More often than not, due to the number of children, there will be more than one carer on hand to see to the needs of the children.
Available childcare resource in your area can be found by clicking the link below:

If you were to decide on a nursery then you need to read on for help in picking a nursery otherwise skip to the Financing section below.

When you visit a nursery ask yourself the following questions, has it got plenty of space?, does it have a garden?, what is the adult-to-child ratio?, do they  have a good ofsted report?, do they have a good reputation amongst local mothers?, is it an environment that you think will suit your child? and finally is it better than others in the area?

With regard to the ofsted report you can click below to gain access to the latest report.

Financing the Childcare

Getting help from your employer

Some employers now offer their employees help with the costs of childcare. This could be by way of one of the following:

• paying you cash to pay for childcare
• paying the childcare fees directly
• paying the child’s school fees

In the event that you employer does offer this benefit, you will be liable for tax and national insurance contributions on whatever aid is given.

There are other benefits that a company can provide without you incurring the burden of paying either tax or national insurance contributions. These are:

• childcare vouchers
• directly contracted childcare
• workplace nurseries

For more information please click this link:

Job Grant

Tax free grants are available when you or your partner start full-time work (at least 16 hours a week). You’ll get it if you (and your partner if you have one) are aged 25 or over and you’ve been getting one or more of these benefits for at least 26 weeks before you started work:

• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (both types)
• Incapacity Benefit
• Severe Disablement Allowance

For lone parents and couples with children the grant is £250.

Further help with costs

If you work it may be possible to get child tax credits to contribute towards the cost of Childcare.

You can get up to 80 per cent of what you pay in childcare, to a maximum of:

• £175 per week for one child
• £300 per week for two or more children

The amount you get depends on your income. The lower your income, the more tax credits you can get.

To qualify you must use registered or approved childcare which may be provided, as per the governments guidelines, by one of the following:

• a childminder, nursery, play scheme or a club that is registered to provide childcare
• someone approved under the home Childcare Approval Schemes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who provides childcare in your child’s home or in domestic premises
• a school, out of school hours and on school premises – but special arrangements apply in England and these are explained below
• a care worker or nurse from an agency registered for providing care in the home, for example, a domiciliary care worker
• an approved foster carer, but the care must be for a child who is not the carer’s foster child

For more information about childcare please click the link below:    

Author: SuperDads

We’re here to make a difference. Superdads not only offers advice but we are her e to promote the importance of fatherhood. Many people are oblivious to the fact that Dads really do matter and this is something we’d like to put right.

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