Tag Archives: Toddlers

My Toddler Refused To Drink Milk, So I Tried These Calcium-Rich Foods Instead

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The first year of an infant’s life is dependent on milk. Whether you choose to breast feed or give formula, milk makes up all the calories they need.

Of course after 6 months of age you can start weaning them on to food, but this is to get infants ready for eating solids as part of their daily diet by 12 months. Before that, food is essentially getting them to practice the skill of eating.

However, if they are eating solids, the milk intake will be less than it was when they were infants.

Above the age of 12 months, children can have full fat cows milk instead of formula, and the NHS recommends you give your child at least 350ml (12oz) of milk a day.

But what happens if your toddler refuses milk all together?

My daughter began to refuse milk completely at 14 months after we decided to transition her to a beaker instead of bottle. This came as a shock because for the first year of her life all she did was drink milk.

She also wasn’t great at eating solid foods at 14 months, but that might have been because of the amount of milk she was drinking before she quit cold turkey.

After a lot of stressing, I learned that if your child doesn’t drink milk, it’s actually OK as long as you make up the calcium in other ways.

Children from the age of 1 to 3-years-old need 350mg of calcium a day and the NHS suggests you can give two servings of foods made from milk, such as cheese, yoghurt or fromage frais if your child doesn’t have milk.

You should be giving your child a variety of calcium-rich foods as well as keep offering milk as they might eventually find their way back to it. According to the Centre of Family Medicine you can try adding milk to foods to up their intake.

These foods can include:

  • pancakes,
  • scrambled eggs,
  • smoothies,
  • breakfast cereals
  • oats/porridge

With foods that are usually made with water, you can also try replacing with milk.

If you’re really worried about the lack of calcium your child is getting, make sure to contact your GP.

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The One Scientific Reason You SHOULD Spend Time With Your Grandchildren

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In fact, according to research, spending time with the little ones not only helps you stay social, it can also help with your mental health and some medical issues.

186 grandmothers took part in a study conducted by The Women’s Healthy Ageing Project in Australia, and researchers found that those who looked after their grandkids one day a week had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s and were more likely to offset dementia.

However, the research also found that looking after grandkids for more than five days a week could have a negative effect on cognition. So, while daily care could be burdensome, weekly visits had clear benefits.

An article looking into the impact of grandparenthood also found that grandchildren can make life “more fulfilling” and give grandparents a “new life purpose”. Because grandparents can find time with their grandkids so satisfying, the study noted that this can then potentially reduce mental health issues, improve cognitive abilities and physical strength – all of which can lead to a “better self-perceived quality of life”.

So there you have it, those blessed with grandkids and grandparents shouldn’t underestimate just how lucky they are. It’s not just a wholesome bond, it’s actually great for their health!

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3 Ways To Make Ramadan Special For Kids That AREN’T Fasting

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As Ramadan approaches, parents of young kids like myself are trying to find ways to teach our children about the Holy month.

With older kids, it can be easy to explain what the month means and how we can use it to minimise bad habits. But with toddlers and young children there needs to be a balance of making the time fun and exciting, alongside teaching them its importance.

As Muslims, children are obliged to fast once they hit puberty. Before this during Ramadan, kids will usually partake in family meals such as Iftar (opening of the fast), build the habit of praying five times a day and use the time to understand the importance of helping the less fortunate.

However, as the month places a huge importance on fasting for older children, younger kids might feel left out and want to do more to get into that Ramadan feeling.

So, here are some ways you can help to make the month special for young children that aren’t able to fast. These tips have been suggested by the creators of Salam Occasions, an online store where you can buy Islamic toys, books and decorations.

Decorate your home

Making changes in your home during Ramadan can really help kids differentiate the month of Ramadan from other months.

Children love to help out, so why not let them join in to put up some bunting? Salam Occasions have a range of balloons and acrylic decoration pieces that can transform your prayer space to make it even more exciting for the kids.

Do activities

Learning doesn’t have to be boring – when teaching your young children about Ramadan and what it means, bringing in colouring books can be a game-changer!

Alongside this you can even get your kids to have a healthy competition of designing a mosque, to teach them about the importance of praying together.

One of the three founders of Salam Occasions, Raheema, says: “My three-year-old would probably be able to tell you more about Ramadan than I would because of these books!

“A lot of people are turning to Islamic board books and colouring. As a parent I’ve introduced everything to my daughter from birth and by now she knows a lot more duas (prayers) and stories of Prophets than I did at that age!”

Countdown to Eid

Counting down to a special day definitely makes the month more exciting, building up towards Eid is a great way to get your kids involved.

Now that a lot more Muslim-owned companies are creating advent calendars to help children feel more connected, you can use these to teach them a lesson a day.

You can even DIY your own and tick off each day with a ‘moral of the day’ or ‘word of the day’ related to Ramadan. Alongside this you can even use the countdown to get your child to put £1 a day aside for charity.

This can really cement the idea that Ramadan is all about helping others and being a better person.

Either way, once it gets to Eid, the day where Muslims celebrate and mark the end of the month, your child will feel accomplished looking back at the past month!

At the end of the day, Ramadan is about learning how to be a better person. Whether it’s helping your kids break bad habits such as not fighting with siblings, or using the month to educate them about religion and morals — these tips are sure to get your young kids involved in wanting to learn more.

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The 1 Bathroom Item You Should Always Lock Away If You Have Toddlers

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Being a parent is exhausting. It feels like every five minutes you’re doing something to prevent your child from hurting themselves.

‘Don’t jump off that. Watch your fingers in that door. You can’t eat that.’ I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve uttered these words at home in the past year.

And in a bid to keep little ones safe, so many items have to be stored out of harm’s way – from buttons and coins to cleaning products, nail scissors and medicines.

But one commonly used household item that you probably haven’t thought about hiding away is the bath plug. And here’s why you should.

A mother’s warning about the danger of leaving your bath plug out is going viral again – two years after it was first posted – with lots of parents (myself included) completely oblivious to the hazard a plug could pose.

Instagram account CPR Kids, a baby and child first aid education page, said it saw a post in a mum’s group from a parent called Illi, who’s based in Australia, about the shocking sight she was met with at 4am when her toddler decided to get in the bath.

The parent recalled how her four-year-old son – who is usually a deep sleeper, but miraculously woke up on this occasion – roused them from their sleep, shouting that his brother was in the bath and needed help.

“We found our cheeky, adventurous two-year-old in the bath fully-clothed with nappy and everything on,” said Illi.

“He had pulled up a stool to climb in (he’s never climbed in on his own before), put the plug in, turned the tap on and the bath was overflowing and the bathroom was flooding.

“The scariest part and something I feel deeply traumatised by is that he had clearly been trying to get out for a while and had given up and was tired… he was kneeling on his knees and falling asleep in the water.

“I just can’t believe what a close call this was.”

The parent said it’s something she never thought could happen – and so many parents agreed, now and then.

“I’m so incredibly grateful my four-year-old woke up as we would never have heard (our room is at the other end of the house),” the mum continued.

Thankfully the story has a happy ending and Archie, who was two at the time, was checked over by a medical professional and was completely fine.

“A few minutes more and this could of been a very different story,” warned the mum.

After the ordeal, the parents put a lock on the bathroom door and locked the plug away in a cupboard. They also put an alarm sensor on the then-toddler’s door so they knew if he was up about about.

“I hope this story can educate other parents because honestly I consider myself to be REALLY on top of child safety, every effort is taken to ensure the safety of our kids at all times but I honestly just never thought of locking away the plug,” she posted at the time.

Responding to the repost from CPR Kids, one mother wrote: “OMG how scary! Thank you for sharing and raising awareness. I’m locking my plug in the cupboard right away.”

Another mum said: “I remember reading this story two years ago and I have kept the bath plug out of reach every night since. So scary.”

And for those with built-in bath plugs, CPR Kids shared some additional tips for safety-proofing the bathroom, saying parents could try doorknob covers, safety chains, or bolt locks.

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The Important Reason You Need To Copy Your Baby

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A video of a baby interacting with their dad is melting hearts across the internet – and while it’s certainly got the cuteness factor, there’s also a very important lesson behind the video which an early years expert has shared.

Dan Wuori, senior director of early learning at The Hunt Institute, shared the adorable video on X, formerly Twitter, which shows a dad holding a very young baby and mimicking her expressions and sounds. (You can watch the video here.)

The expert suggested this interaction helps “light up” a baby’s brain. He calls it “serve and return” – yes, like in a tennis match.

“Serve and return entails back and forth interaction during which adult and child trade conversational (and other expressive) turns,” Wuori explained.

The video shows the baby sticking her tongue out – which the early years expert described as a “serve”. The dad then “returns” by copying the expression, but also “extending her cues and vocalisations”.

“As the two participate in this mutual exchange, neural connections are strengthened that support the development of baby’s communication and social skills,” said Wuori.

According to Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child, these ‘serve and return’ interactions shape brain architecture, help build relationships, and their absence “is a serious threat to a child’s development and well-being”.

This is why Wuori’s message was ultimately for parents to do as much interacting, face-to-face, with their baby and child as possible, which means being mindful of screen time and other distractions.

And no, this doesn’t mean watching them like a hawk 24/7, but rather taking time out to really connect with them, with zero distractions, throughout the day.

With babies, some examples of “serve and return” interactions might include:

  • If your baby smiles and you smile back at them
  • If they make a sound and you mimic the sound
  • If they look at something and you explain what it is.

Experts at Harvard recommend a few ways you can develop your ‘serve and return’ relationship with toddlers and young children, too:

  • If your child points at something, or seems interested in something, pay attention to what they’re focused on. This will help you learn more about your child’s abilities, interests and needs.
  • Offer children comfort with a hug and gentle words, help them, play with them, or acknowledge them. So, for instance, you could make a sound or facial expression, or nod, to let a child know you’re noticing the same thing.
  • Help name what your child is seeing, doing or feeling to help them learn to talk and understand words.
  • Take turns with them while playing or drawing, as this helps them learn self-control and how to play with others.

So, next time you’re in the presence of a baby or young child, you know what to do.

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‘Help! My Toddler Won’t Stop Peeing And Pooing In Their Cot’

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You’re reading Between Us, a place for parents to offload and share their tricky parenting dilemmas. Share your parenting dilemma here and we’ll seek advice from experts.

Raising a toddler can be a wild ride. One moment they’re telling you they love you, the next you’re dislodging a small plastic sheep that’s been launched across the room from your head (just me?).

As they grow up and understand more of the world, they will test the water with all manner of behaviours – colouring on the floor; hitting; or even *checks notes* removing their nappy and pooing or weeing all over their bed.

Such is the case for one anonymous HuffPost UK reader, who shared their parenting dilemma with us:

Our toddler recently started taking their nappy off in the cot and then peeing or pooing all over their bed. We do a whole bedtime process including reading books, singing lullabies and then we will tell them it’s time to sleep and leave the room. In the past, they would go to sleep at this point, however just recently they’ve started to undress themselves and will pull their nappy off and then urinate or poo in the bed, including on the duvet, sheets and pillows. It’s happened at nap time and bedtime. What is the best way to respond to this behaviour? And how can we prevent it from happening, as it seems to be developing into a habit?

The good news is that this is pretty normal toddler behaviour.

“It is common for toddlers to exhibit behaviours that may seem challenging or unconventional as they navigate their development,” says Hendrix Hammond, systemic and family psychotherapist and spokesperson for the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).

First of all, the parent might want to ask themselves why the toddler might be doing this. What’s the motivation here?

“Your toddler might be exploring boundaries. In this case, removing the nappy and urinating or defecating in the bed might be a form of experimentation or a way for your toddler to exert independence,” Hammond tells HuffPost UK.

“Furthermore, your toddler might recognise that this behaviour elicits a particular response from you as parents, which serves them an unconscious need.”

So, what can they do?

1. Reconsider their clothing choices

One relatively simple solution could be to try bed-wear that’s more difficult for the child to remove, such as onesies with poppers at the shoulders.

This can act as a deterrent and make it harder for them to access and remove their nappy.

2. Try positive reinforcement

When the toddler goes through a nap time or bedtime without removing their nappy, the therapist recommends parents acknowledge and praise their behaviour.

“Positive reinforcement can help motivate them to keep the nappy on,” he adds.

3. Get them to help with cleaning up

If the toddler does happen to wee or poo in their bed as a result of removing their nappy, the therapist suggests involving them in the cleanup process.

“This helps them understand the consequences of their actions and fosters a sense of responsibility,” he explains.

4. Stick to routines

Familiarity can help reduce anxiety and unpredictability, which may contribute to this type of behaviour, so the therapist recommends keeping bedtime routines consistent.

5. Communication

Sometimes it can help to simply sit down with a toddler and talk about their actions simply and clearly. “Explain that nappies must stay on during sleep and that accidents can create messes,” Hammond suggests.

6. Speak to a GP

If the parent tries all of the above strategies and the behaviour persists, Hammond advises them to speak to a GP, who can assess whether underlying physical or emotional factors might contribute to their toddler’s behaviour.

7. Be patient

Easier said than done, we know, but Hammond notes that “with a combination of understanding, consistent guidance, and potentially seeking professional advice, you can work towards helping your toddler develop healthy habits”.

Here’s to a drama-free bedtime.

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If Your Baby Or Toddler Naps Little And Often, Researchers Want You To Do This

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When it comes to babies and toddlers, it’s safe to say there’s no rulebook as far as sleep is concerned.

While there’s no shortage of books out there telling parents how much their children should be sleeping at various stages in their development, the reality is that no two babies are the same so they’ll have very different sleep needs.

And, when they reach toddlerhood, well… good luck to you as you spend hours each evening trying to get them down to sleep. (Sorry, I might be projecting.)

But does it actually mean something when an infant naps little and often?

Well, a new study suggests it might. Some children are more efficient at consolidating information during sleep, so they nap less frequently, the research found.

Conversely, University of East Anglia researchers found that it’s usually the case that frequent cat-nappers tend to have fewer words and poorer cognitive skills than their peers.

The takeaway? The research team said these children should be allowed to nap as frequently and for as long as they need.

For the study, researchers analysed 463 infants aged between eight months and three years during lockdown in 2020.

Parents were surveyed about their children’s sleep patterns, their ability to focus on a task, keep information in their memory, and the number of words that they understood and could say.

They also asked parents about their socio-economic status – including their postcode, income, and education – and about the amount of screen time and outdoors activities their child engaged in.

As the research took place during lockdown, it allowed researchers to study children’s intrinsic sleep needs because they weren’t at daycare, which is where they tend to sleep less.

They found the structure of daytime sleep is an indicator of cognitive development.

Lead researcher Dr Teodora Gliga said: “There is a lot of parental anxiety around sleep. Parents worry that their kids don’t nap as much as expected for their age – or nap too frequently and for too long.

“But our research shows that how frequently a child naps reflects their individual cognitive need. Some are more efficient at consolidating information during sleep, so they nap less frequently.

“Children with smaller vocabularies or a lower score in a measure of executive function, nap more frequently.

“Young children will naturally nap for as long as they need and they should be allowed to do just that.”

Parents of frequent cat-nappers needn’t worry though.

The findings suggest that “children have different sleep needs – some children may drop naps earlier because they don’t need them anymore,” said Dr Gliga, and that “others may still need to nap past three years of age” – and that’s OK.

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This Mum Potty Trained Her Two-Year-Old In 72 Hours Using The ‘3P Method’

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Potty training is not for the fainthearted. It requires oodles of patience, a lot of wipes and an ability to be increasingly chilled when a poo turns up on your nice cream carpet.

But once your child is out of nappies and proudly doing wees and poos in their potty (or on the toilet) it’s a very rewarding feeling for all involved.

One mum-of-two recently took to TikTok to share how she managed to potty train her two-year-old in 72 hours (aka three days) – and we have nothing but respect for this toileting champion.

Courtney Ryrie-Novack, who is known as @scottishcourt on the app, said she used something called the ‘3P method’.

Those Ps stand for: persistence, patience and praise. Sounds interesting. So what does it all involve?

For starters, Courtney shared that she and her toddler didn’t leave the house for three days while they embarked on the potty training mission. And for that entire time, her son was naked.

Discussing the ‘persistence’ part of the 3Ps, Courtney said this is “most important” in the first day or however long it takes for your child to grasp that the potty is where they need to do poos or wees.

“Personally for us it was one day to know where the pee or whatever goes. So every 10 minutes you’re going to put your child on the toilet and say: you need to go pee, or poo, or whatever word you want to use,” she explained.

“You’re going to fill them up with juice … and you fill [them] all day long, and every single 10 minutes: [put them on the] toilet, toilet, toilet. And you do that until it’s bedtime, and that’s when we put a nappy on.”

She added that when her son first started using the potty, they’d use a distraction like an iPad to keep him sitting there, because otherwise he would try and run away.

There were some downsides to this technique, however. “He kind of tried tricking us sometimes by sitting on it for like 20 minutes so he could watch 20 minutes of his iPad, but we kind of let it pass the first day because – like I said – it was his first day,” she said.

By the end of the first day, Courtney said her son knew where he needed to pee and would know to get his parents, so they could take him to the toilet. And by the end of day two, he was going to the toilet by himself.

The mum added that ‘patience’ is also crucial during this time – and especially on the first day – because there will be a lot of accidents.

On the second day, she said her son was no longer having any accidents in the wee department, but did a couple of rogue poos. But that’s to be expected.

Moving on to the third P – ‘praise’ – Courtney said this is definitely the most important part of the process.

“We’re never going to scold our kid for missing the toilet, not making [it to] the toilet, or just not doing it in the toilet,” she said. “Because it’s not their fault. All they’ve known their whole life is ‘do it wherever I am in my diaper’.”

So, when children end up weeing or pooing on the potty, she encouraged parents to check what’s in the potty and then cheer and celebrate with them. She suggested you could give them a sticker, sweet or a toy – “whatever you think will motivate them”.

In her case it was chocolate, and it worked like a dream.

Fellow parents were keen to try the process, while others shared their own success. “I was a toddler teacher and this is exactly how I ended up potty training my two boys and how I recommended my friends potty train theirs,” said one mum.

There is no set age to start potty training as every child is different, however the NHS does recommend that around the age of 18 months to two years old parents can introduce sitting on the potty as part of the normal daily routine.

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What Does 30 Hours Free Childcare Actually Mean For Parents?

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Chancellor of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt has finally revealed his grand plans to tackle the UK’s childcare crisis. So what did he actually say?

The top line is that working parents of one- and two-year-olds in England will get to (eventually) benefit from an expansion of the so-called ‘free hours’ scheme – so basically, some of their childcare costs will be paid for by the government.

The chancellor has also relaxed childcare staff ratios and confirmed working parents on benefits will be able to get childcare support payments upfront – and the amount they can claim will increase.

Hunt acknowledged in his 2023 budget statement that the UK has one of the most expensive systems in the world and that, as a result, “for many women, a career break becomes a career end”.

But when we look closer at the detail, what does all of this actually mean for parents right now during a cost of living crisis? And what does it mean for the childcare system as a whole? Here’s what you need to know.

‘Free’ childcare for parents of one- and two-year-olds

Perhaps the most widely anticipated part of the new childcare reforms is that the ‘free hours’ scheme – which all parents of three- and four-year-olds currently benefit from – will be extended so parents of children aged nine months old and over can also benefit.

This means that for eligible households where all adults are working at least 16 hours a week, parents can obtain 30 ‘free hours’ (aka funded childcare) for their children aged nine months and older, per week.

So basically, help with childcare costs starts from the moment maternity or paternity leave ends – a move which Hunt said will reduce household childcare costs by nearly 60%.

But don’t set off the party poppers just yet. The scheme will be introduced in stages – and it’s a pretty slow rollout:

  • Working parents of two-year-olds will be able to access 15 free hours from April 2024,
  • From September 2024, the 15 free hours scheme will be extended to all children from nine months old to school age,
  • From September 2025 working parents of under-fives will have access to 30 hours free childcare every week.

The offering is usually valid for 38 weeks of the year (during school term time) and eligibility depends on: if you are working, your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one), your child’s age and circumstances, and your immigration status. More on that here.

Now let’s be clear, technically these are not always ‘free hours’ because historically they’ve been underfunded by government and parents often have to top up the hours costing them hundreds of pounds each month.

That said, expanding this so more parents of young children can benefit and pay less overall for childcare is certainly a big deal. Particularly for future parents.

The only problem is that for many parents who are currently struggling with soaring childcare and living costs, this will be too little too late.

What do parents currently get in the way of help?

Parents are currently entitled to a few bits of extra help when it comes to accessing cheaper childcare. These include:

  • From the age of two, children from low income families are eligible for ‘free hours’ at nursery in England, Wales and Scotland.
  • When they turn three, all children – regardless of household income – are entitled to a certain amount of these ‘free hours’ per week. In England, every parent is eligible for 15 hours of ‘free childcare’ while other parents might be eligible for 30 hours ‘free childcare’ depending on income.
  • Parents who earn less than £100,000 a year can also get tax-free childcare – up to £2,000 a year – to help with childcare costs.

Money pledged to help childcare providers

The chancellor acknowledged that supply of childcare is dwindling and focused part of his speech on how childminders are a “vital way to deliver affordable and flexible care”.

To encourage more people to become childminders, he suggested the government will pilot incentive payments this autumn – specifically, £600 for childminders who sign up to the profession, which rises to £1,200 for those who sign up to an agency.

Hunt also spoke of the cost pressures facing the childcare sector as a whole – which are making it increasingly hard to hire (and retain) staff while also raising prices for parents.

He pledged to increase funding paid to nurseries to provide ‘free hours’ for two-, three-, and four-year-olds by £204 million from September 2023, rising to £288 million next year.

But those in the industry insist this is nowhere near enough. Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: “With the shortfall for current two-, three- and four-year-old offer estimated at around £1.8bn based on government’s own figures, the additional funding announced today is highly unlikely to match what’s needed to put providers on a steady footing.”

The overall number of childcare providers in England dropped by around 4,000 between April 2021 and March 2022, according to figures from Ofsted.

“We know from bitter experience that expansions of so-called ‘free childcare’ without adequate investment are a recipe for utter disaster.”

– Neil Leitch

If the current system is underfunded, those in the childcare sector are extremely concerned about what will happen under the expanded new system.

“We know from bitter experience that expansions of so-called ‘free childcare’ without adequate investment are a recipe for utter disaster,” said Leitch, “and given that many providers rely on fees from younger children to make up for current funding shortfalls, the impact on the sector if the government gets this wrong cannot be underestimated.”

Joeli Brearley, CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said while she is “elated” to hear the childcare sector will now receive a significant investment, she is also “concerned” the money pledged is not enough to reduce costs for parents sustainably.

She also said there needs to be a clear and remunerated strategy to attract more educators into the sector, to retain workers and to offer progression opportunities.

“The CBI estimates that to do what the government is planning costs £8.9 billion not £4 billion, so we need to see the detail as to how this money is being distributed and we need to know that the government is investing in these new schemes based on the actual cost to deliver them,” she said.

“Free childcare from nine months is brilliant, but only if there are childcare settings to be able to access this care, without the correct funding there won’t be.”

Childcare ratios are to be relaxed

Another result of today’s budget announcement is that childcare ratios are to be relaxed – in basic terms, this means childcare staff can now legally look after more young children at one time.

At the moment, in early years settings in England, one adult can look after three children under two years old; or four children aged two; or eight children aged three and over.

Under Liz Truss’s premiership, it was suggested these ratios could be stretched further or scrapped, so staff could look after more children at one time.

At the time, some parents aired concerns it would pose a safety issue while members of the childcare sector suggested it would prompt even more staff to leave.

Hunt has now revealed that to offer providers more flexibility in how they operate, he is relaxing staff ratios so a member of staff can look after five two-year-olds at one time – the same as in Scotland. He added these ratios remain optional for childcare providers and parents.

But relaxing ratios is far from ideal when childcare providers are also facing huge demand, and staff are leaving the industry in droves for better paid jobs with less pressure.

Neil Leitch branded the move to push ahead with this decision as “appalling”.

“Yes, parents want affordable care and education, but they also want to ensure that their children are in safe environments receiving quality care and education – something this policy completely flies in the face of,” he said.

Benefit payments will be changed to help parents

The chancellor said people on Universal Credit who are “moving into work or want to increase their hours” will be able to get childcare support payments upfront, instead of in arrears, and the amount they can claim will increase to £951 for one child and £1,630 for two children – an increase of almost 15%.

Currently, working households – or those with a job offer – can claim back costs up to a maximum of £646 a month for one child, or £1,108 for two or more children.

It’s unclear when this new change will come into effect.

Rachel Carrell, founder and CEO of Koru Kids, welcomed the news. “We know that delays in getting Universal Credit coverage for childcare causes major problems for some of our families and any reforms which make the processes smoother are welcomed,” she said.

School wraparound care will be improved

For parents of kids at school, Jeremy Hunt acknowledged there are barriers to working because of challenges accessing wraparound care – for instance, breakfast clubs and after school clubs.

Hunt said the government will fund schools and local authorities to increase the supply of wraparound care, so parents can drop their children off at 8am and 6pm.

“Our ambition is that all schools will start to offer a full wraparound offer – either on their own or in partnership with other schools – by September 2026.”

But journalist and host of The News Agents Emily Maitlis questioned how schools will pay for this. “What are the sums needed to make that work,” she tweeted, “given teachers are already striking because of their workload.”

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Oh Joy, All The Ways Our Childcare System Is A Complete Bin Fire Right Now

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Britain’s childcare system is on the brink – and parents are feeling the strain more than ever.

Soaring nursery fees, staff retention issues and nursery closures are just some of the issues the sector is facing, with repercussions for childcare workers, parents and children.

Here’s a rundown of all the ways in which the system is on its knees right now – and if one thing’s abundantly clear, it’s that change must happen fast.

1. Childcare costs are horrendously expensive

A new report has confirmed what every parent already knows (and dreads) – that childcare costs are extortionate. According to charity Coram, the average annual cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under two in Britain is just shy of £15,000. To put that into context, annual university course fees are a maximum of £9,250.

Recently, parents were left reeling by news that these fees may rise by a further £1,000 this year because of the cost of living. This is on top of the fact the average costs of childcare have risen by 5.9% in the past year, according to Coram.

The TUC previously warned that the cost of early years care for a child under two could rise to £2,000 a month by 2026. But for some, this is already the case. One dad in London told HuffPost UK he’s shelling out £2,100 per month for his daughter to go to nursery four days a week.

It’s a postcode lottery for many parents. Coram’s report found there are significant differences in the cost and availability of childcare depending on where you live across England.

The average weekly cost of a part-time place for a child under two is 54% higher in inner London (£199.01) than in Yorkshire and Humberside (£129.32).

Parents in the UK face some of the most expensive childcare costs among leading economies, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

There is some help available. From the age of two, children from low income families are eligible for ‘free hours’ at nursery in England, Wales and Scotland. When they turn three, all children – regardless of household income – are entitled to a certain amount of these ‘free hours’ per week.

In Northern Ireland, the picture is different again. There are no ‘free hours’ as such, but all three- and four-year-olds are entitled to a funded pre-school place of at least 12.5 hours per week during term time.

Parents who earn less than £100,000 a year can also get tax-free childcare – up to £2,000 a year – to help with childcare costs. But when the total cost of putting a child in nursery can be up to £15,000 a year, it’s still a struggle for lots of families.

Unfortunately, many women are suffering as a result of such costs. A staggering three in four mums (76%) who pay for childcare say it no longer makes financial sense for them to work, a recent report by the charity Pregnant Then Screwed found. One in four parents (26%) say their nursery bill is now more than 75% of their take-home pay.

This time last year, a survey of almost 27,000 parents with young children found the cost of childcare had driven 43% of mums to consider leaving their jobs.

The sad reality is that women are not just considering this – many do leave. A staggering 84% of the 1.75 million people who’ve given up work to care for their family are women, according to ONS data.

2. It’s actually really hard to get a spot in nursery

It’s got to the point where people are signing up for nursery waiting lists when pregnant – and sometimes even before conceiving a baby – because demand is so high. And those who don’t get ahead end up stuck without childcare, or have to make alternative arrangements, which can often make returning to work very tricky.

Joanna Corfield, head of communications and campaigns at NCT, previously told HuffPost UK they’d been hearing more and more about how working parents are having to think about childcare well in advance of when they need it.

“In some areas where demand is high and provision is low, some families are having to make decisions in the early stages of pregnancy,” she confirmed.

3. Childcare staff are (unsurprisingly) leaving for better paid jobs

With everything else that’s going on, the sector is facing staff retention issues. In October 2021, a Early Years Alliance survey on staff recruitment and retention in the early years sector in England revealed over a third of respondents were actively considering leaving the sector.

Meanwhile one in six believed that staffing shortages were likely to force their setting to close permanently within a year.

The survey also found more than eight in 10 settings were finding it difficult to recruit staff. Around half had to limit the number of, or stop taking on, new children at their setting in the six months prior to the survey.

The average salary of a UK nursery worker is £21,000 according to Totaljobs. But despite the low salary, the job is increasingly stressful – especially as staff shortages mean more pressure on those who are left behind. It’s also resulting in nurseries having to close rooms at short notice, leaving parents in the lurch.

In early years settings in England, one adult can look after three children under two years old; or four children aged two; or eight children aged three and over.

Under Liz Truss’s premiership, it was suggested these ratios could be stretched further, so staff could look after more children at one time – some parents were concerned it would pose a safety issue while members of the childcare sector suggested it would prompt even more staff to leave.

Neil Leitch of the Early Years Alliance previously told HuffPost UK that while childcare settings spend the majority of their income on staff wages, “years of government underfunding has meant that many educators are on little more than the national living or minimum wage”. Because of this, people are leaving the industry for better-paid positions in sectors such as retail and hospitality. And who can blame them?

4. Nurseries are closing at a rate of knots

Nurseries and childcare settings are also dropping like flies – and some organisations suggest it’s only going to get worse because of the cost of living.

The overall number of childcare providers in England dropped by around 4,000 between April 2021 and March 2022, according to figures from Ofsted.

In August 2022, the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) warned that between September 2022 and 2023, we could see record-breaking numbers of closures leading to a “catastrophic” reduction in places.

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of NDNA, said at the time: “Most nurseries are small businesses and similar to the picture in other sectors, these are hugely impacted by rocketing fuel costs, inflation and chronic underfunding.” Tanuku added that nurseries have also had to pay “unfair business rates”.

The latest Coram survey revealed there’s been a sharp drop in childcare availability across England over the past year, with only half of local areas reporting sufficient childcare for children under two. This was a decrease of 7% on 2022.

5. Disabled children and those from low income households are impacted greatly

One of the alarming findings from Coram’s report is that less than one in five (18%) local authorities in England report sufficient childcare for children with disabilities – a 3% decrease on 2022.

The charity called for improved support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by introducing responsive funding to improve staff skills and make more childcare places accessible.

In Britain, parents can get help with childcare costs thanks to ‘free hours’. Some parents are eligible for 15 hours free childcare a week for two-year-olds.

All three to four-year-olds in England can get 15 hours free childcare a week (for 38 weeks of the year). And some eligible parents (for example, those on benefits) of three to four-year-olds may also be eligible for 30 hours free childcare a week. It’s a similar picture in Wales and Scotland.

But nurseries are struggling to offer these funded spots. Almost half (43%) of local authorities across Britain report that some or many of their local childcare providers have reduced the number of funded early education entitlement places they can provide.

It’s no surprise this is happening as these spots have historically been underfunded. A 2022 survey by the Early Years Alliance found that for 86% of settings, funding for the three- and four-year-old early entitlement scheme does not cover the cost of delivering places – and around a third (30%) of the providers surveyed said they’re operating at a loss.

6. There isn’t actually a plan (that we know of) for sorting all of this out

While there’s been a lot of talk about how to tackle the nation’s childcare problem from various prime ministers, not much has actually happened to sort the issue so far.

In Rishi Sunak’s first speech of 2023, back in January, the prime minister revealed his educational priorities for the next two years – but his plans for childcare weren’t exactly detailed.

When a member of the press asked about the childcare sector, Sunak responded: “The government and I are completely committed to ensuring good availability and affordability and flexibility of childcare. There’s a consultation that is out at the moment, and we’re in the process of considering – about some reforms – and it wouldn’t be right for me to comment on that now.”

In December last year it was revealed that childcare will be treated as “national infrastructure” – this means local councils will be able to fund it alongside other crucial services like schools, GP surgeries and public transport.

It’s hoped the issue of childcare will be addressed at the spring budget on March 15. There have been murmurings that Sunak is considering extending the free 30 hours for childcare to all parents – not just those who are eligible because they’re on benefits. But nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

What we do know is that changes to Universal Credit will reportedly be announced at the budget, including paying parents on Universal Credit childcare support upfront and increasing the amount they can claim by several hundred pounds.

But for parents who aren’t on Universal Credit, the struggle may well continue if no additional support is provided.

Megan Jarvie, head of Coram Family and Childcare, said: “The need for reform of the childcare system is urgent. As well as eye watering bills, parents are facing widening gaps in availability of the childcare they need.

“As the Chancellor decides his budget, we urge him to recognise the value of investing in childcare – it is a wise investment, enabling parents to work and boosting the outcomes of young children.”

The charity wants to see a reformed system which “prioritises quality, guarantees a childcare place for every child, values the workforce and makes sure that parents only pay what they can afford”.

One thing’s abundantly clear: sorting out childcare should be a priority for the government, as charity Pregnant Then Screwed found 96% of families with a child under three years old are likely to vote for the political party with the best childcare pledge in the next election.

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