Worcestershire mothers deterred from returning to work by increasing childcare costs

One couple also said they had put off having another child because of the exorbitant fees.

Some parents are now calling on the government to extend free nursery sessions to all children under three-years-old.

The cost of childcare in the West Midlands has increased more than four times faster than average wages, according to the Trades Union Congress.

But Robin Walker, the MP for Worcester, said the current government has done more than any previous administration to help parents with childcare.

Jemma Rawcliffe, aged 24, of Falcon Close, Droitwich, wants to return to work but cannot justify paying the nursery fees for her 15-month-old daughter Paige.

She said: "I was a trained nursery nurse. If I went back to work there I'd get about £65 a day.

"I would have been going to work to get about £20 a day [after childcare costs]. Who would work a 10 hour shift for £20?

"I think it gives a feeling that you are trapped - if you want to go to work you can't afford it.

"A lot of us do want to go back to work but there's nowhere for us to put our children.

"My family has quite severe health issues and can't help me on a regular basis."

Ms Rawcliffe and her partner, who earns around £19,000 per year, said they struggle to cover the monthly rent and other expenses.

She added that they will not be eligible for government childcare funding until Paige is three-years-old.

The mother said she had seen first-hand the rising costs of childcare, with one local nursery increasing fees from £44 a day to £49.50 in the past year.

Sarah Whiting, aged 29, of Warndon Villages, Worcester, has returned to work but she does not receive any government help towards childcare for their two-year-old daughter Evelyn.

Mrs Whiting, who works as a school teacher, said: "Both my husband [Barney] and I take the full salary sacrifice to help fund nursery fees.

"This month, our bill is just less than £1,000. More than our rent and essential bills put together.

"We have no grandparents nearby, so in order to work, we must send her.

"We have had to make major cut backs and recognise that we would not be able to afford to send another child to nursery at the same time.

"Therefore we have decided to put on hold extending our family."

Emma Kings, aged 34, also said that despite working she still cannot afford to send her child to a nursery.

She said: "I'm a healthcare assistant at Pershore hospital. I had my third child [Ethan] last January.

"There was no option, I needed to return to work. We can't afford to cover childcare costs.

"Until he [Ethan] is three he won't be able to go to nursery.

"Ethan goes to my mother-in-law's at the moment. We pay her. She only takes £10 a day."

Another mother also shared her struggle to cover childcare costs for her 14-month-old son Edward.

The 26-year-old mum, of Leeds Avenue, Worcester, said: "My partner was made redundant a week before Christmas last year and we lost company childcare vouchers.

"We are lucky we have a good childminder. We pay £4 an hour. It's going up to £200 a month in January. I only earn £500 a month.

"I think it [childcare] should be [free] from nine months onwards to encourage mums to go back into the workplace."

Siani Driver, the founder of Worcestershire Mums Network, said: "Many of our members struggle with childcare costs.

"I know of several who face working purely to pay for their nursery fees, which is pointless from a financial position.

"But many mums feel that their career would suffer if they didn't return to work.”

She added that some parents turn to relatives to help with childcare but added that this is not possible for everyone.

She said nurseries are being forced to charge extra fees as government funding does not cover all of the costs.

But Mr Walker argued that the Conservatives had done more for childcare provision than any previous government.

He said: "We want to make sure there's support there and that work pays.

"Until the last coalition government there was no free childcare for children under three.

"We have introduced it for disadvantaged two-year-olds.

"It's great to have support for child care but this all has to be paid for.

"It's important to strike the right balance between how we can maintain low taxes whilst investing in things that make a difference.

"I think the strategic decision that this government has taken to invest more in childcare is the right one. I'd like to see that decision continue."

The Brexit minister added that the Conservatives had raised the income tax threshold and introduced the living wage.

Mike Cross, communications officer for Worcester Trades Union Council, said public sector employees had endured years of pay freezes, caps and staffing cuts.

He added: "In the private sector, also, very few workers have seen their wages grow at the same rate as living costs.

"For many, wages have stagnated or even declined yet during this period childcare costs for those with very young children have gone up like a rocket."

The Trades Union Congress released analysis this month which showed that childcare costs in the West Midlands rose 4.8 times faster than wages between 2008 and 2016.