Grandparent care over the summer ‘can increase tensions and guilt’

Growing numbers of parents resort to grandparents for holiday childcare, but for nearly a quarter that bring increased family tensions and guilt, according to a Workingmums.co.uk poll.

It shows that the majority of mums [41%] say having grandparents cover childcare duties both increases tensions and brings family closer together. However 22% say it increase tension and guilt and 15% say it brings the family closer together.

Some 22% of those polled say they don’t use grandparents for holiday childcare.

Workingmums.co.uk’s most recent annual survey shows 45 per cent of parents rely on grandparents to cut down on childcare costs.

Another recent survey, commissioned by Europcar shows one in nine grandparents have either given up their job, cut their working hours or taken holiday or sick leave so they can provide childcare for their children.

According to the research, grandparents in the East and North West take care of their grandchildren for an average of 12 days in the summer holidays, compared to the national average of 11 days. However, grandparents in London, the South West, Midlands, South East and Yorkshire look after their grandchildren for 10 days.

Similarly, the average grandparent also travels an average of two hours when they take their grandchildren away for a trip during the summer holidays. This has been found to increase to nearly two and a half hours in Scotland, compared to just one and a half in the South West.

In addition to the cost of looking after their grandchildren, under a fifth have had to take time off work to look after their grandchildren. On the positive side are the social, physical and mental health benefits of looking after grandchildren.

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