Some parents are having to holiday with their kids without their partner, as a result of work and childcare difficulties, according to a new survey.
Of the 2,000 parents who took part in the study, almost three quarters (73%) said that they are forced to take different days off work than their partner to look after their children during the school holidays, which gives them less chance to enjoy a family break altogether. Three in ten of the participants said that they have had to go on holiday without their partner, with around one in ten doing so on a regular basis, due to pressures from work.
The survey was conducted by Nationwide Savings. The Head of Savings Policy for the company said that holidays are an ‘essential part of family life’ as they offer a break away from the stresses of everyday life and allow families to spend quality time together.
The costs of going on holiday still continues to increase rapidly during peak seasons. Nationwide aim to encourage customers to begin budgeting and putting savings away as early as possible.
The study also showed that younger parents were most likely to be affected by having to travel without their partner. 39% of 25-34 year olds said they have had to go away without their partner, due to already having to take split leave to make sure that someone was available to look after the children. This is in comparison to 28% of people in the age 35-44 bracket and 25% of people aged 45-54.
Of parents who work, four in five (81%) reported having problems when booking time off for a holiday. Three in five said that they have to book their holidays three months in advance, whilst one in five said that they book their holidays as soon as the calendar opens to ensure that childcare is covered for the summer and Christmas periods. Doing so left 45% of people worried about the impact on their fellow colleagues who did not have children.
Of the people surveyed, only one in ten said they were not affected by the need to cover childcare in the school holidays because it was covered, either by a partner who did not work, by additional childcare or other relatives/friends.
One in four of the parents surveyed said that they had told the school their child was ill so that they could take them on holiday in term time. This risks a £60 fine if caught, but holidays are often much cheaper during term time and there is less competition for booking annual leave.
This problem has become a glaring focus for debate on the parenting forum Mumsnet. One mother said that she worried herself and her partner didn’t have enough annual leave between them both to cover the holidays once their child goes to school, whilst another said herself and her husband took separate holidays most of the time.
The Parents Want a Say campaign is aiming to get the Government to abolish school attendance policies, as they argue it penalises families for wanting to enjoy quality time together. A spokesman for the campaign said that the survey goes to show the ‘extremely stressful’ situation that families have to face to spend quality time together. He added that the campaign was to highlight the ‘break up of the family unit’.
The Department for Education are standing firm. A spokesman told the media in response to the survey that children shouldn’t be taken out of school, except in outstanding circumstances, adding that there should ‘be no confusion at this point’. He added that whilst family holidays are ‘enriching experiences’, the school year has been designed to give families the opportunity to take a break without having to disrupt their child’s education.
By Numbers: The school year 2014-15
- Amount of fines issued to parents for unauthorised absences- 50,414.
- Value of the fines issued- £3 million.
- Average price increase of holidays during the summer break- 60%.
Would you take your child away without your partner? Let us know in the comments!
