What's childcare really costing you?

Date: 25th May 2011
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

We all know that the cost of childcare is huge but what can be done about it? Recent research by the Daycare Trust estimate that it costs an average of £177 for a full time nursery place in Britain for a child under two - that's like paying another mortgage. It costs more in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK and as a country we pay the most in Europe (bar Switzerland) and our costs are one of the highest in the world.

Charities, Save the Children and Daycare Trust want to find out what impact the rising costs of childcare are having on families; from forcing them to cut back on household essentials to making it difficult for parents to find or keep jobs - especially the poorest who could be priced out of work because of the rising costs.

They've launched the biggest ever survey of parents in Britain to find out how childcare affects their lives, what they think about it and what can be done to help them. The results will be used to show the Government what impact the high costs are having on families.

Fill it in and have your say, they would love to hear from you so now is your chance!

• Access the survey here.