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The Daycare Trust has quite rightly highlighted the high cost of summer holiday child care facing many families in the UK. Its annual survey found that parents can expect to pay around £455 per child for a six-week play scheme place.

I would argue that the cost for many families is much higher. Summer play schemes are in short supply and, according to the National Child Minders Association, hourly rates for childminders range from £2.58 to £7 per hour, with the average rate being around £4 an hour.

Even using the NCMA's lowest rate as a basis for calculation, a parent with one child working full time and placing their child with a childminder from 8am-6pm each day will incur a summer holiday child care bill of £774. Heaven help anyone who has more than one child needing looking after!

The government would no doubt argue that it is trying to help families on low incomes with the costs through the child care element of the Working Tax Credit.

Unfortunately, though, there is a big flaw here, which is that families can only claim for child care which is offered by registered and approved providers. Many working parents on low incomes rely on informal child care and quid pro quo arrangements and are therefore unable to claim.

We need universal, high-quality, affordable childcare for all working parents - only then will the summer holiday become something to look forward to instead of something to dread!

Fiona Taylor
London SE23