Having grandparents or other relatives care for your child or children has potential advantages and disadvantages which may include some of the following.
Some advantages:
- Familiar adult who knows and loves your child
- May be more affordable
- May be prepared to work flexibly including anti-social hours
Some disadvantages:
- Tension if approach to child rearing is different
- Your child or children may have little contact with other children
- Parents cannot take advantage of Tax Credits, Childcare Vouchers or Nursery Education Grant
A grandparent or relative can provide good and reliable childcare; it keeps childcare ‘within the family’ and keeps children within familiar surroundings. They are often willing to take children to a Parent and Toddler group or other activity groups to provide the child with some other social contact. They may be able to do the ‘pre-school’ and ‘school run’ and also provide care in the holidays.
Parents who may be entitled to receive support with the cost of childcare need to be aware of the following:
- If a grandparent becomes a registered childminder or approved childcarer, you will be entitled to the childcare element of Working Tax Credit.
- If a grandparent cares for your child or children in the grandparent’s own home AND they become a registered childminder, you will be eligible for the childcare element of Working Tax Credit.
- If a grandparent becomes an approved childcarer, you will only be eligible for the childcare element of Working Tax Credit if they are willing to care for other children as well as their grandchild or grandchildren.
- If a grandparent cares for your children in the grandparents own home, without being registered or approved, you will not be entitled to the childcare element of Working Tax Credit.
