Only 9% of councils have sufficient holiday childcare places for at least 75% of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in their area, a survey has revealed.

As well as increased uncertainty about availability of childcare places, there has also been a 4% surge in holiday childcare prices, according to Coram Family and Childcare’s 20th annual Holiday Childcare Survey.

The research found that those impacted most by the low sufficiency levels are children with SEND, children aged between 12 and 14, and children whose parents work atypical hours.

Whilst the average after-school club costs £66 per week in term-time, the report revealed that holiday club spaces cost £179 in Great Britain, with childminder services costing roughly £234 per week during the holidays.

The research also outlined the regional disparities across England, highlighting Inner London as the area with the highest nursery prices, in addition to childminder rates that are 68% more costly than those in the East Midlands.

To improve the system, the report calls for increased funding and training to help holiday childcare providers who look after children with SEND, as well as recommending that the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme is sustained beyond March 2026 to support disadvantaged children throughout school holidays.

The report also emphasises that local authorities require greater support to assist the delivery of targeted funding and sufficient holiday childcare provision, whilst advocating for improved workforce retention in the sector and more thorough data collection on holiday childcare provision to facilitate the planning of ‘sufficient, year-round childcare’.

Lydia Hodges, Head of Coram Family and Childcare, said: ‘Availability of holiday childcare is an ongoing issue and without a clear picture of how much holiday childcare there is in each area, we cannot be sure that children – particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities – are not missing out.

‘We need a system that meets the needs of all children, with the ongoing security of free holiday childcare for disadvantaged families and timely help with bills for those who need it, so that no child misses out during school holidays.’

Cllr Arooj Shah, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, commented: ‘Councils work closely with providers to improve access to holiday childcare provision for children with SEND but without investment and recruitment of quality staff this will be difficult to deliver.

‘Adequate funding, skilled practitioners and wider system support are essential to the early identification of need and support for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and we urge the Government to consider this in their upcoming reforms.’