OXFORD parents are being put off going back to work because of childcare costs, a recent survey suggests.

A survey of 102 parents from Oxford showed that 21 per cent want to go back to work but cannot afford childcare.

According to the Office of National Statistics, in 2011 there were 14,574 Oxford households with children and the average annual child tax credits for households who do not work but have one child is £3,330.

If 21 per cent of Oxford households received the average child tax credits working it would cost them almost £10m.

Our top stories

The survey, for the 2015 Finda babysitter.com Annual Childcare Report, said 41 per cent of Oxford parents believed the Government was not doing enough to support them.

When deciding which care service to use, 53 per cent said cost was the most important factor, compared to 26 per cent who chose safety.

This is the third report from Findababysitter.com, a UK online search site that helps match parents and childcare professionals.

Sarah Barrett, from Rose Hill, returned to work nine months after giving birth to her daughter Erin, now four.

The housekeeper said: “I had my maternity leave and I wanted to go back to work.

“I didn’t want to sit at home for five years.

“I think it’s better for my daughter to mix with other children at a nursery as well, rather than be with me all the time.

“I can understand why people can’t or don’t go back to work.

“Unless you’re in a really high-paid job you can’t really afford it.

“It’s really hard to juggle the costs.”

Erin began at the school in September and Miss Barrett now works only during term-time to cut back on costs.

She said: “There’s got to be something that can bring childcare costs down.”

Oxford Mail:

Kate Bennett with daughter Verity

Kate Bennett set up her own personal training and pilates business to avoid paying for babysitters or nursery.

Mum to seven-year-old Verity and Tristain, five, she said: “I do most of my business between 9am and 3pm so I can avoid those costs.

“I used to work for a university and my hours were so inflexible.

“I was paying a third of my wages for childcare, which is not that unusual.”

The Woodstock resident added: “If it was cheaper then everybody would work more.”

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith said: “This is a big problem for a lot of local parents, as well as being a big cost to the wider society losing out on their work.

“We need to expand affordable childcare.”


  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.