This article is written in partnership with UK Government, a supporter of Peanut and women alike.
Feeling the work-parent squeeze?
The juggle is real.
Itâs a familiar scene: Monday morning, your coffeeâs already cold, your child is demanding breakfast, and you were supposed to leave for work 10 minutes ago.
Weâve all been there, caught in the glorious circus act of juggling motherhood and a career.
But letâs be honest, sometimes itâs less of a juggle and more of a struggle.
Finding the right childcare that fits your needs, your budget, and works for your child can feel like a quest for the Holy Grail.
Let us take a load off your mind, mama, with a breakdown of all the different childcare options for working parents to help you find your work-life balance you deserve.
In this article: đ
- How do working parents juggle work and childcare?
- What help do working parents get with childcare?
- What childcare options are available?
- Childcare tips for working parents
How do working parents juggle work and childcare?
Itâs no surprise that raising your child while maintaining your career can be a challenge, to say the least.
So how do you keep the balance without sacrificing one or the other?
Taking all the help you can get!
But where do you start?
For many mums, childcare can help lighten the load.
But there are some things to think about when it comes to finding help that fits your family:
- Childcare cost: Childcare can take a hefty chunk out of your pay check, but there is help available. Explore options like nurseries, childminders, and after-school clubs â budget-friendly doesnât mean compromising quality. The Childcare Choices site also has your back, breaking down all the government support available to you.
- Flexibility: Finding childcare that fits with your work schedule can feel impossible, but you have options! Look for flexible options that suit your routine, like part-time care, before-and-after-school programs, or shared duties with your partner, family, or friends. Every little helps!
- Availability: Finding childcare spots can feel like a race against time. Start your search early, be open to different options, and donât be afraid to put your name on waiting lists.
Remember, youâre not alone in this, mama.
Lean on your partner, family, friends, and the other working mums of Peanut for their advice about childcare â and donât forget that Childcare Choices can help you find the right support to make it more affordable.
What help do working parents get with childcare?
Good news, eligible working parents in the UK do get support from the government with childcare costs.
There are a few different ways you can get government support, depending on your needs â which you can read all about on the Childcare Choices website:
- 15 & 30 Hours childcare: Up to 30 hours for 3-4 year olds for eligible working parents. The support is expanding, too â from April 2024, up to 15 hours for eligible parents with children aged 2 years old, and lots more to come over the next couple of years!
- Tax-Free Childcare: Even if youâre self-employed! Tax-Free Childcare is available for kids aged 11 and under (or up to 16 for disabled children). Simply deposit your childcare costs into your Tax-Free Childcare online account, and for every ÂŁ8 you add, the government will add an extra ÂŁ2, up to ÂŁ2,000 per child per year or ÂŁ4,000 for children with a disability. The best bit? You can use Tax-Free Childcare alongside 15 & 30 hours childcare!
- Universal Credit Childcare: Another childcare offer thatâs just for working parents who are claiming Universal Credit â for kids under 17 years old, as long as youâre not claiming Tax-Free Childcare. With Universal Credit Childcare you could claim back up to 85% of your registered childcare costs and you can combine this with 15 & 30 hours childcare too!
What we love about these offers is that theyâre super flexible â you can use them for registered nurseries, childminders, after-school clubs, even nannies â whatever works for you and your child!
To check your eligibility, visit the Childcare Choices website and try their handy eligibility checker.
What childcare options are available?
Thereâs no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to childcare.
Hereâs a breakdown of the types of childcare available, and how they could fit into your schedule as a working mum:
Nurseries
Ideal for kids from 3 months to 5 years, nurseries are more like early-years education, with structured learning activities to help with your toddlerâs development.
You can also work with peace of mind, knowing your child is getting care from qualified staff.
Theyâre also great for getting your child socialising with other kids through great team-building activities â theyâre never too young to make a friend!
Nurseries can be a pricier option of childcare for working parents, but you can cut the costs with government support, too: 30 hours of childcare, Universal Credit Childcare, and Tax-Free Childcare.
Childminders
Childminders are registered individuals who care for small groups of children (usually up to 6) in their own homes.
Theyâre great if youâre after more flexible childcare to fit around your working hours, or if your child is happier in a home-like environment.
They can be more affordable than nurseries, but qualifications and experience can vary, so itâs worth checking up on their credentials and reviews from other parents before you commit.
Wraparound childcare
Wraparound is regular term time before and after school childcare for primary school children. It usually has longer hours than after-school clubs and can be a really dependable option for working parents.
In a nutshell, itâs childcare that âwraps aroundâ the conventional school day.
Wraparound can be delivered on or off school site by the school itself, in partnership with other schools, or in partnership with private, voluntary, and independent childcare providers - including childminders and day nurseries!
After-school clubs
Perfect if your kid is already at school or if theyâre a bit older â with lots of options, like breakfast clubs, homework clubs, or after-school activities for hobbies.
Handy if you work part-time or flexi-time.
Nannies
If youâd rather have more personal childcare while youâre working, a nanny is one-on-one care in the comfort of your own home.
Nannies are usually pretty flexible and can work around your schedules for the best fit, but theyâre the most expensive childcare option for working parents.
Friends and family
Thereâs no denying how much it can help having a support network of friends and family when youâre raising your children.
And they can be an option when it comes to childcare for working parents, too.
But there are some other things to consider, too.
Can they commit to regular hours that match your work needs?
You donât want to add to your stresses right now, letâs be honest!
And while it can really help when your kid is familiar with their childcare provider, they thrive on routines and activities, which a qualified childcare option can provide.
But there are some other great ways to rely on your village when it comes to childcare:
- Swap childcare duties with other parents â playdates, anyone?âš
- Need a one-off emergency? Ask close friends to be on your âbackup buddyâ list for unexpected situations.
Childcare tips for working parents
After more guidance on how to make the most of government support available to you as a working mum?
Here are our quick-fire tips:
- Use the Childcare Choices eligibility checker for a quick and easy way to see what support you might be eligible for â it can change depending on your income, your childâs age, and whether youâre studying as well as working.
- Be aware of the changes coming to government childcare from April 2024, like the new eligibility for 15 hours of childcare to families with 2-year-olds. (And thereâs more to come in the next couple of years, too!)
- There are lots of childcare options available, like nurseries, childminders, and after-school clubs â so you can find the childcare that best suits your familyâs needs.
- Remember the other costs of childcare. Your 15 & 30 hours childcare doesnât cover all the costs of childcare, so donât forget to budget for meals, additional hours, or extra activities.
- If youâre claiming Universal Credit, you can claim back up to 85% of your registered childcare costs. This can be up to the maximum amount of ÂŁ951 per month for 1 child or up to ÂŁ1,630 per month for 2 or more children, so itâs worth checking if you are eligible.
- You can use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as the 15 or 30 hours childcare offer. This means you can get even more help with childcare costs if you are eligible.
- Schedule everything: Colour-code work, family, childcare, me time (even if itâs just 10 minutes with your fave book or a 5-minute mini meditation). Plan meals, activities, and chores in advance. And if you need some time to figure the schedule out, tap into government help with the cost of childcare, to free up some spare hours. After all, a prepared mama is a less-stressed mama.
- Donât be afraid to delegate: Itâs okay to ask family and friends for help. Make household chores a family activity, have a friend cook you a few meals, and ask your workplace how they can help. Chances are, everyone wants to help, they just donât know how.
- Acknowledge the mum guilt: Every mum has felt this at some point â like youâre not doing enough for your child. First, weâre here to tell you that of course youâre doing enough. And feeling this way is totally normal. So when those thoughts creep in, remember that you are doing enough.
- Reframe and rename: Ditch the âeither/orâ trap as a working mum. Youâre not sacrificing one for the other; youâre building a fulfilling life for your family and yourself. If you catch yourself speaking in ways that put down what you do for yourself and your family, reframe it to something more positive.
- Celebrate âgood enoughâ: Aim for progress, not perfection. Hey, no-oneâs perfect!
Talk about it: Whether thatâs through therapy or talking to other mums in the same boat, talking about it all â the struggles, the stresses, and the successes â can help remind you that youâre not alone in this.
- Make a note of whatâs important to your family when finding the best childcare options for you, like their location, hours, qualifications, experience, ratio of children to staff, curriculum, extra activities, and how well they communicate with you.
- Visit and research a few childcare providers before making a decision. Ask your friends, family, neighbours, and your local Peanut mums for recommendations!
- Ask for flexible work arrangements: In the UK, all employees (who have worked for the same employer for at least 26 weeks) have the right to ask for flexible working, including parents! Book in a chat with your boss and come prepared with potential solutions, to help you balance work and school.
- Government support can be used outside of term time. Tax-Free Childcare can be used for holiday clubs, nannies, and childminders. Itâs also possible to use your 15 & 30 hours childcare outside of term time. Some providers will allow you to âstretchâ the hours over 52 weeks, using fewer hours per week. So have a chat with them!
- Ask your childâs school about wraparound and holiday childcare. Did you know that working parents in England have the right to request a wraparound or holiday childcare place for their child up to the age of 14? (And, you can use Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare towards both!).
You can find the support you need on the Childcare Choices website, so you can understand the different offers to help working parents with childcare costs.
The balance might get off-kilter at times, but remember: thereâs no such thing as the perfect working mum.
Youâre doing the best you can, and thatâs amazing.
And if you want to talk to other working mums who know what youâre going through, our Peanut Community is always here for a chat.