PARENTS across the region are set to struggle finding childcare this summer as more than half of North-East councils cannot meet demand.

The annual Holiday Childcare Survey published today (Thursday July 16) reveals that 55 per cent of local authorities in the North-East admit that they simply do not have enough holiday childcare to cater for children in their areas.

This compares to an average of 87 per cent in England and 95 per cent in Wales.

In Scotland, just three local authorities had enough holiday childcare for working parents, and over a third did not even have relevant data to analyse the situation in their areas.

And despite recent Government efforts to make childcare more affordable, the average price of one week’s full-time holiday childcare in the North-East is now £131.29, up 14.5 per cent in the last 12 months and higher than the national average of £123.49.

In Yorkshire and Humberside the average cost is £114 and in the last five years, prices of holiday clubs across Britain have risen by nearly 25 per cent.

Stephen Dunmore, chief executive at the Family and Childcare Trust which published the report, said: “These are worrying findings at a time when the Government is pushing through its ambitious and welcome plans to make childcare more affordable for parents.

“It is time for action on the Cinderella service that is holiday childcare, otherwise many parents will struggle to hold down a job or find their summer plans in tatters.

“Local authorities must be supported in their market management to stop the decline in childcare places so that all parents have the access to childcare that they so desperately need.

“We are also calling on the Government to make sure there are no delays in the roll out of Tax Free Childcare, so that this vital support is available to parents in time for the next summer holidays.”