The Gransnet and Mumsnet childcare survey - the Gransnet data

A joint study by Mumsnet and Gransnet has found that grandparents are providing unpaid childcare for some families on a weekly basis. (Regular childcare provided by grandparents is worth an estimated £17bn annually to the UK economy). A fifth of parents who use grandparents for childcare said that help from their mum, dad or in-laws is the only way they could afford to go back to work.

We found that the majority of grandparents providing childcare are happy to do so. Parents appreciate the opportunity to save money - but also the fact that their children are spending time with people who love them.

See the full Gransnet survey results from below. To read and compare the results from Mumsnet click here.

1. On how many days per week - in a normal week - do you look after your grandchild/ren?

Less than 1	8%
1	26%
2	29%
3	19%
4	9%
5	6%
6	1%
7	2%

2. What are the best things about your childcare arrangement? (You can tick up to 3)

The closeness between me/us and grandchildren	87%
Knowing that my grandchildren are with someone who loves them	66%
I/we can give my children attention in a way that the parents don't have time for	16%
Passing on my/our wisdom and experience to grandchildren	15%
Flexibility, convenience and peace of mind for the parents	51%
The money the parents save	18%
It's the only way the parents could afford to go back to work	21%
Don't know	1%
Other	3%

3. How do you feel about the arrangement you have for looking after your grandchildren? (Tick any that apply)

It's an amazing chance to spend time with my grandchildren	73%
I’m happy to help out my son/daughter/SIL/DIL	70%
It’s a big commitment but I’m happy to do it	59%
It’s a big commitment and I resent doing it	1%
I feel out of pocket	4%
Taken for granted	7%
Other	6%

4. What about costs... Are you paid to look after your grandchildren? Are you given ad hoc gifts or treats (i.e. a bottle of wine or night out) to say thank you? Are your expenses incurred when looking after grandchildren repaid/paid for?

Answer options	Yes	No	Don't know	Not applicable/don’t know/not stated
Paid a set rate	3%	86%	5%	6%
Given gifts	32%	57%	6%	4%
Paid expenses	12%	76%	5%	6%

5. And, if you are paid a rate, do you get paid...

Answer options	Response percent
An hourly rate	31%
A daily rate	38%
A weekly rate	31%

6. If you are paid a rate, how much is it per child? Please answer for equivalent day rate - eg if you are paid by hour then multiply by standard day of say 10 hours a day (8am-6pm)

Answer options	Response percent
Up to £10 per day	38%
Between £10 and up to £20 per day	38%
Between £20 and up to £50 per day	19%
Over £50 per day	6%

7. Irrespective of whether you are paid or not, do you think you should be paid for the regular childcare arrangement?

Answer options	Response percent
Yes - the same as a childminder/nursery	3%
Yes but less than a childminder/nursery	6%
Should only pay expenses	25%
No not at all	67%

8. How much do you think you spend on your grandchildren when looking after them? Please answer for term time and school holiday time. If your grandchildren are not yet in school please answer the same for term time and holiday time Please give an average per day.

Answer options	Nothing spent at all	Up to £10 per day	Between £10 and up to £20 per day	Between £20 and up to £50 per day	Over £50 per day	No idea/ don't know/ not stated
In term time	25%	52%	5%	1%	0%	18%
In school holiday time	13%	43%	19%	5%	1%	19%

9. Are there any tensions that arise as a result of your childcare arrangements with your son/daughter/son in-law/daughter in-law?

Answer options	Response percent
Yes	12%
No	82%
Don't know	6%

10. For each of the following please say - to what extent, if at all - the arrangement for childcare of your grandchildren is the source of tension in your relationship with the parents of the grandchildren, regarding...

Answer options	Source of a lot of tension	Source of some tension	Causes no tension at all	Not applicable to us/ not stated/ don't know
Nutritional content of meals and snacks provided by you	1%	9%	79%	10%
Money - day-to-day costs like toddler groups, meals and trips out	1%	6%	77%	16%
When you take a holiday	2%	15%	71%	13%
Lack of or forms of communication	2%	14%	71%	13%
Timekeeping - their (eg they are late arriving/collecting)	2%	15%	69%	14%
Timekeeping - yours (eg you are late picking up)	1%	5%	72%	2%
Amount of TV / screen time	1%	12%	75%	13%
How and when the childcare arrangements are made	1%	12%	78%	9%
How to discipline	1%	14%	75%	10%
Messiness of your house and garden	1%	10%	73%	17%
Messiness of the parents' house and garden	2%	10%	70%	19%

11. And to what extent, if at all - do you think the childcare arrangement for your grandchildren causes you and your partner tension, regarding the following...?

Answer options	Source of a lot of tension	Source of some tension	Not a source of tension at all	Not applicable to us/not stated/don't know
The burden of having to commit to childcare year-round	3%	28%	55%	16%
Having to take holidays during the more expensive school holiday period	2%	13%	50%	35%
Compromises with regard to own careers/learning opportunities	2%	16%	57%	25%
Childcare commitments curtailing social life	2%	24%	59%	15%
Timekeeping - yours (eg you are late picking up/ dropping back grandchildren)	0%	6%	72%	22%
Timekeeping - theirs (eg your child/in-laws are late collecting)	3%	14%	66%	17%
Health worries (lack of energy, catching bugs from children)	4%	25%	60%	12%
Messiness of your house and garden after grandchildren have been	2%	16%	65%	17%
How and when the childcare arrangements are made	2%	14%	71%	14%

12. Do you also provide childcare for any other grandchildren? And if so, does this cause any tension with other members of the family? Tick the option which applies to you.

Answer options	Response percent
Yes, we provide childcare for other grandchildren but it doesn't cause any tension	31%
No, do not provide childcare for any other grandchildren	63%
Yes, we provide childcare for other grandchildren - this does causes tension (please specify or give example of the tension caused)	6%

13. If money and availability of quality childcare were no issue, would you still provide childcare?

Answer options	Response percent
Yes	66%
Yes, but I’d want them to split it with other childcare providers	28%
No	3%
Don't know	4%

14. How many grandchildren do you look after?

Answer options	Response percent
One	33%
Two	42%
Three	16%
Four	5%
Five or more	5%

Gransnet.com survey of 500+ grandparents who regularly provide childcare for grandchildren (aged 11 and under) - Survey Jan-Feb 15