Summer holiday childcare pressure ‘unmanageable’ for parents

“There’s an assumption that grandparents just babysit.

“My mum’s 82 and my dad’s 87 with quite advanced dementia, so it’s not as simple as sending the boys up to them for a couple of hours.”

Harriet thinks thought needs to be given to the way the school year is structured.

“Six weeks is a long period, especially for SEND children, because of the lack of routine. It makes it really difficult,” she said,

The Somerset Parent Carer Forum surveyed its members, and said it was a “recurring concern” that there is a struggle to find holiday activities.

“Too often, activities aren’t able to provide the support children need, or parents have to stay throughout, meaning they don’t receive the respite they desperately need,” said CEO Ruth Hobbs.

“School holidays should be a time for children to have fun and build friendships, while families have the opportunity to work or recharge.

“Single parents are one of my biggest worries at this period, as they don’t get a break,” she added.

Hobbs advised checking local authority websites, external, which publish lists of activities for SEND children, and social media.

She also said activities can get booked up far in advance, so recommended calling early to secure a spot.