The parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) are disproportionately affected by the lack of wraparound childcare options in the UK.
Maria Baywood, whose four-year-old-son Elliot has a rare syndrome that affects his vision, kidney function and general development, is among parents who have been forced to take pay cuts, a demotion or a career break in order to take care of their disabled children.
But despite taking a step down in her career, Ms Baywood and her husband will still be forced to employ a nanny five days a week just to pick up Elliot from his school when he starts in September, as the before and after school clubs provided don’t cater to SEN children.
“Children with disabilities shouldn’t be excluded from the provision of wraparound childcare, but there just aren’t any options for us,” said Ms Baywood. “I feel we have to make choices that other parents don’t have to make simply because our child is disabled, and that doesn’t feel fair.”
Four out of five parents say their career progression or pay has suffered – almost a fifth more than parents of children who do not have SEN.
Parents of children with SEN find it harder to secure appropriate childcare, spend more money on childcare and are more likely to see their career or pay significantly impacted due to a lack of childcare, according to new research by childcare provider Koru Kids.
More than 78 per cent of parents in the UK whose children have SEN use before or after school childcare at least once a week and more than a third (34 per cent) use it daily, compared with 53 per cent and 20 per cent of parents whose children do not have SEN.
However, the research shows that half (55 per cent) of parents of children with SEN don’t have enough childcare support for their children. More than a third (38 per cent) say it is harder to find appropriate care in their area and almost half (45 per cent) say it is more expensive.
As a result, one in five (19 per cent) are forced to use care that doesn’t meet their child’s needs and a third have to have their children at home with them while they work.
The juggle is taking its toll, as 81 per cent of parents with children with SEN have seen their career progression or pay suffer as a result of needing to manage childcare with work.
Ms Baywood, who lives in Beckenham, London, and also has two-year-old son Ethan, told i that unlike many parents who will see their childcare costs decrease when their child starts school, she and her husband David, an IT coder, won’t really see a fall in costs as they will have to fork out for a nanny five days a week when Elliot starts school in September.
“Elliot is in nursery three days a week and has a nanny two days a week as he wouldn’t be able to cope with five days at nursery – we don’t get funding for extra support,” she said.
“In an ideal world, we would have hoped to have the cost of a nanny go in September, but the school he is going to has confirmed that they do not have provision to include children with SEN in breakfast and after-school clubs.
“Legally, they don’t have to, as they just have to cover school hours. But the reality is the majority of parents don’t work school hours.
“Schools often outsource before and after-school clubs to private providers. It comes down to finances, and they can’t make it work financially to have the extra staff to accommodate these children.
“We have not found any after school clubs that are geared for disabled children.”
Ms Baywood told i she was working as head of communications for an organisation, but after the stress and pressure of three attempts before they got an educational plan for Elliott, she suffered a nervous breakdown and left the workforce for five months.
She is now an account director at an agency and is a couple of levels below where she was before – and on less money. She says the job-hunting process was difficult as prospective employers couldn’t understand why she was pitching herself lower, with some viewing her as unambitious.
“Where I work now is amazing, but it took a long time to find someone who was willing to understand my journey and value my honesty and see that I could still give 100 per cent to a role,” she said.
“Elliot is at a mainstream nursery and will be starting at a mainstream school in September and has an education plan.
“But for wraparound childcare, we will have to have a nanny, which will really stretch us financially. Most parents, when their children start school, get a bit of a breather as a big portion of their childcare costs goes. However, we’re not going to save much compared to nursery.”
Ms Baywood added that many people don’t understand the pressures faced by parents of disabled children and the way they have to constantly fight to get any support.
As well as the affect on her own career progression and future earning potential, she says her husband turned down a promotion last year as he knew the hours would be longer.
Rachel Carrell, founder of Koru Kids, said: “It has 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 is needed.
“Parents need childcare that is flexible and that can be tailored to their requirements. The proposals for 8am to 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.
“What is especially frustrating is that we have thousands of childcare providers on our books willing and able to work flexibly, but it’s far too hard for families to use childcare funding to pay for them.
“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.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “This government is delivering the largest expansion of childcare in England’s history, which includes a £289m investment to support the expansion of wraparound childcare.
“This will enable all parents and carers of primary school-aged children who need it, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, to access term-time wraparound childcare from 8am to 6pm.
“We are continuing to gather evidence to understand the unique barriers faced by families of children with SEND so we can take steps to improve their experiences in accessing wraparound childcare.”