Almost a fifth of parents call in sick to care for their children in the holidays

Schools across Wales break up for the summer today, and whilst our children might be relishing the prospect of 6 weeks off, a new report highlights the strain it puts both on parents and the economy.

A huge shortage of sufficient childcare, plus the costs involved, mean almost a fifth of working parents in Wales will call in sick to cope.

According to research by the Families and Childcare Trust:

• 1 in 5 parents called in sick over the summer holidays last year in order to manage childcare

• 12% of parents were forced to give up their jobs altogether

• It means the Welsh economy misses out on 50,000 working days every year

Alexandra Lodge has spoken to parents at a nursery in St Mellons, Cardiff, to find out about the impact the school holidays have on their work: