A report by the Daycare Trust found that many local authorities don’t have enough childcare for the summer holidays. What are your options if you need to work?

Finding affordable and reliable childcare is a challenge for most parents, but finding childcare during the summer holidays can be a bit of a nightmare. The vast majority of private nurseries are open throughout the summer holidays (although local authority ones may close), but tracking down something that suits your school age child and your budget may be tricky. And, according to some research carried out by the Daycare Trust, it’s a bit of a postcode lottery.

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If you employ a nanny, you’re responsible for their tax and National Insurance – and it’s worth sorting it out as soon as you can.

Employing a nanny isn’t a cheap option for child care, but if you can share a nanny or you have three or more children, it can be more cost effective than using a nursery or other child care, especially if you need someone to look after your children beyond school hours. The other – huge - benefit is that you have the convenience of someone who can fit in with your routine rather than the other way round. But how should you sort out the tax?

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Tax relief on child care vouchers was due to be abolished from 2011, but now it will stay, although its level will be capped in the future.

Gordon Brown appears to have changed his mind about abolishing tax relief on child care vouchers by 2015. At Labour's party conference in September, he announced that he would get rid of tax relief on the vouchers, but the latest plan is to keep tax relief, although parents joining the scheme from 2011 will see tax relief restricted to 20%. Child care vouchers were introduced in 2005, but many parents aren't aware of the scheme or how it works in the first place.

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