'One in 6' parents would leave children unsupervised if breakfast clubs shut

Almost a quarter of parents drop their child at a breakfast club so they can get to work on time. Credit: PA

Almost 'one in six' parents would be forced to leave their child unsupervised if breakfast clubs were cuts, a survey has revealed.

A YouGov poll found 17% would be have to leave their youngster unsupervised in order to get to work and 9% of children would miss out on a vital morning meal.

The findings come in a poll of around 2,000 working parents of children aged four to 16, commissioned by Kellogg's.

Mum-of-two Leanne Gardner spoke to Daybreak about the role Breakfast Clubs played in her childcare and work routines.

Breakfast clubs emerged as helpful childcare option in the poll, as around one in every six parents said they would be forced to leave their child without adult supervision, while others would have to quit working without them.

The YouGov poll, which was conducted at the beginning of the year, also found:

  • Some 29% admitted they or their partner would have to stop working if their child could not attend a breakfast club.

  • A further 15% would not be able to afford alternative childcare for their child in the morning while they were working.

  • One quarter of families with an income of less £40,000 and young children aged between four and 11 would be forced to leave their children alone while they went to work.

  • The poll also found that nearly a quarter (24%) of working households use pre-school breakfast clubs to drop off primary school children before the bell goes so that they can get to work on time.