Families across Great Britain could end up paying record costs for summer holiday clubs this year, research suggests.

The charity Coram Family and Childcare surveyed councils across the nations and found that families could face a bill of £1,045 for six weeks of care for one child.

Overall, this is a rise of 6% from the previous year, and there is also a potential issue of a shortage of places, particularly affecting children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Providers say they are trying to keep costs down as they struggle with staff shortages, BBC News reports.

How much have summer holiday childcare costs increased around Great Britain?

Compared to last year families in England have seen prices for summer holiday clubs rise by 5%, whilst it has gone up 15% in Wales and 4% in Scotland.

A breakdown of weekly childcare costs during the summer holidays is as follows:

  • England: £173.14 – up 5%
  • Wales: £208.82 – up 15%
  • Scotland: £167.49 – up 4%
  • Yorkshire and the Humber: £173.32 - up 13%
  • Inner London: £152.56 - up 8%
  • South East: £215.68 – up 3%

Coram Family and Childcare managing director Ellen Broomé, said: "Too many families dread the onset of the summer holidays.

"Finding a place will be a challenge this summer, particularly for children with special educational needs and disabilities."

The Out of School Alliance, which represents providers, says the picture is mixed across the country.

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Speaking to BBC News, chief executive Rebekah Jackson Reece said: "We hear about availability being down - but I've got providers who are talking to us about how their demand is so low they haven't recovered past Covid.

“They are really struggling financially due to increased rents, lack of ability to find staff and schools becoming inherently more interested in running their own provision as their budgets are squeezed."

She added that more understanding was required of parents' needs and matching that with existing provision.

How have Governments responded to this?

The Department for Education in England said local authorities were expected to offer the equivalent of six weeks' Holiday Activities and Food Programme provision, which provides meals, activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families.

“Too often, childcare is unavailable or unaffordable, particularly for disadvantaged children or those with additional needs – and we are determined to rebuild opportunity for every child," an official said.

Meanwhile, the Welsh government said it offered three- and four-year-olds of eligible parents 30 hours' funded childcare up to 48 weeks a year.

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“During the summer holidays, we are funding the Playworks scheme, which provides high-quality play, and the Food and Fun scheme will be available in every local authority area,” an official said.

The Scottish government said it had announced a £16m investment in six communities, to understand what it took to deliver year-round local childcare systems.

“A further £4m has been invested in the Extra Time Programme, a joint initiative with the Scottish Football Association, to provide up to 3,000 free places per week at before- and after-school clubs, and holiday clubs, for children from families on low incomes,” an official added.