If you’re a working parent one question has likely been popping up over the last few months – what are you doing with the kids over the school holidays?
The juggle is very real – how do you entertain and care for your children for (at least) six weeks while also doing your job? Some people have colour-coded spreadsheets breaking down clubs and schedules, while others joke about needing a new mortgage to cover the cost of summer holiday camps.
I unfortunately have neither. I’ve spent hours trying to find suitable childcare for my family, but despite priding myself on professional-level research abilities, I found nothing suitable for my nine-year-old autistic son who has special education needs and disabilities (SEND).
Shorts
Since my son can’t access mainstream clubs, I tried to find accessible private childcare and spoke to my local authority about council provision. I was hoping to find somewhere for even just a few days, or one day a week, but I couldn’t find any suitable clubs and the only local setting my council recommended was already full, having closed its waiting list months before.
