Child care services hold a very prominent share in the United Kingdom’s job market. Their demands are increasing day by day along with the number of service providers. This article will cover the different types of child care providers and get an in-depth idea about each of them and how much does child care cost in the UK.
Table of Contents
Why is Child Care so critical?
We all know that child care services have become a very prominent and essential sector for all groups of parents and guardians in our modern society. The demand for this sector has escalated rapidly in these past few years. Increased participation of women in today’s workforce correlates with this increase.
Parents and guardians also want to ensure that children get exposed to a quality environment that would play an essential role in their brain development and social ethics.
Therefore, most parents always wonder that “how much does a child care service actually cost?”. The answer is, even though the cost of childcare might vary based on your geographical location or the type of childcare service you choose for your child, the main principle and significance remain the same.
How Much does Child Care Cost in the UK?
Wonder how much can child care cost in a month? Well, the answer is you can choose from a variety of child care services available in your area. Some services are pretty affordable for all income groups, while others can be expensive. However, with significant responsibilities and benefits provided comes costs as well. Therefore, even if a few pounds are spent towards your child’s better future and upbringing, it is all worth it after a considerable time.
As mentioned earlier, costs associated with different types of child care services varies. Their services can range from both part-time to full-time. Therefore, a detailed description of all these childcare services is illustrated below, alongside their average costs involved.
1. Childminder or Home Child Care
Childminders usually work from their own homes. They have massive popularity in the UK; around 50% of British families prefer sending their kids to a childminder. Childminders are also known as home child care providers.
However, childminders need to register their businesses first before operating. In the UK, they mostly write their business using Ofsted. Childminders need to have some mandatory degrees and qualifications as well before they start working in this field. Some essential qualifications include a Diploma in Childcare and Paediatric first aid training. Even though they work from their own homes, they have to maintain particular safety and hygiene standards.
Since they have immense popularity amongst all communities, you might be curious to know how much home child care cost? The costs of their services vary with the area you live in and the age group of children. The average price for children under two years of age is slightly higher than children aged two and above.
Therefore, the average cost for under-twos is around £5.5-7 per hour, and it is £4.5-6 per hour for two years and above. But, if you live in London or near the CBD, it might cost you an average of £10-12 per hour.
However, they also provide additional pick up and drop off services for children aged 5-10 years old. On average, a childminder charges £50-55 a week for just school pick up and drop off service.
How much does this child care cost in a week? Home childcarers salary can cost around £120 per week for a child under 2 for part-time hours (25 hours a week) and about £240 per week for full-time hours. These costs are a bit lower for children aged two years and above, as mentioned earlier.
2. Nanny care
Nannies work at the child’s family home. They are usually self-employed workers and have a very flexible working schedule. However, they also need to do first aid training and a Childcare course to work legally for a family. Just like childminders, nannies also set their charge based on location and popularity.
A live-in nanny can charge up to £300-400 a week, on average, and a day nanny can charge around £450-550 a week. Although, some nannies get a monthly salary instead. So, how much does this type of child care cost per month roughly? The prices range from £2000-4000 per month.
Some people think that this child care service is a bit over the budget. Well, the reason for this expensiveness is straightforward. Nannies provide more intensive, one to one and tailored care for your child at your home settings, which increase their hourly/ weekly/ monthly costs by a significant amount, which increases on how much this child care service cost.
3. Registered Child Care Centres
These are also known as day nurseries in the UK. They operate from 8 am-6 pm on weekdays, offering both part-time and full-time carer services for children. These are available for children aged between 6 weeks to 5 years.
Since we have established a brief idea about home child care (childminders) and nanny care, you must be thinking about the cost of a child care centre per week? In comparison, this form of child care service is a bit expensive than home child care. For a child aged below two years, home child care services cost around £120 per week for part-time hours, whereas day nurseries/child care centres cost around £140 per week for the same amount of hours. However, the costs will rise to £180-200 per week in inner London.
Carers working in these centres are highly professional. Generally, they have a degree in Level 3 Diploma in Childcare or Advanced diploma in Childcare alongside their Paediatric first aid training certificate. Even though the costs per week are significantly higher than home child care, their services compensate for this cost.
Some critical advantages of childcare centres that help to beat the cost are:
Punctuality
Childcare centres have different activities and social events for children of all age groups to increase their participation rate and build up their timeliness skills from an early age. Such actions occur at a specific time, and children must participate.
Communication
Communication is a fundamental skill that is essential for people of all ages. At childcare centres, children of all ages spend time together. Some children are better at communicating with verbal skills, whereas others are good at non-verbal communication skills. Therefore, it allows children to learn all types of communication skills amongst each other and their carer.
Academic growth
Studies have proven that child care centres help build up an excellent theoretical base for children. This academic growth occurs because childcare centres have various resources and training materials that allow for a child’s brain development and accumulate confidence.
The centres also have a nutrient chart provided by a professional nutritionist; they follow this chart accordingly. It ensures that children get the correct balance of nutrients and folic acid in their diet, which plays a crucial role in their development stage.
Prepares them for preschool
Childcare centres give children a better transition into preschool. Since they have already engaged with other children and adults, they get better prepared to join preschool by leaving their parents.
Immunity boost
Children often get ill at childcare because they pick up bacteria and viruses very quickly from each other and the surrounding. It helps in the long run as more antibodies start forming in their bodies and their bodies’ defence mechanism works more effectively when they start going to preschool.
Therefore, in my opinion, these registered childcare centres are an excellent value for money, if you keep in consideration the numerous services they provide for your child.
Summary of Child Care Cost
The table below summarises the average costs of these three different childcare services for children under two, as discussed previously and lets you compare how much the different types of child care services cost.
| Type of Childcare | Average cost weekly (Part-time) | Average cost weekly (Full-time) |
| Childminder or Home Child Care | £120 | £240 |
| Live-in nanny | £350 | £700 |
| Day nanny | £500 | £1000 |
| Registered Child Care Centre | £140 | £280 |
Advanced Diploma in Child Care
Throughout the course, learners will gain knowledge of all there is to know about the physical and mental development of children from a professional perspective.
Advanced Diploma in Child Care
Throughout the course, learners will gain knowledge of all there is to know about the physical and mental development of children from a professional perspective.
Closing Note
To conclude, child care is a vast industry in the UK, and many dedicated professionals are working towards building your child’s social, academic, and mental wellbeing. The majority of their services are also very top-notch and trustworthy. Some parents might stay in a dilemma to choose the best childcare provider for their child but, hopefully, the question “How much does a child care cost” has been answered effectively.
Therefore, before selecting a child care provider, they should keep in mind their popularity in the area of operation, average costs associated with the service, and the carer’s qualifications and level of professionalism. By considering these factors, we can build a better life for the children and work collaboratively in structuring a highly intellectual and healthy surrounding for them.
October 16, 2023
