YET again the childcare concerns seem wholy focussed on young children (Childcare crisis, Evening News, Wednesday, May 12).

But what are the working parents of older ones supposed to do?

When my daughter's education first started, finding care at the end of the day was even harder than finding pre-school care.

In September she is due to start secondary school and, to date, my husband and I have no idea how she will be looked after at the end of the school day.

At 11 she is not old enough to be left on her own - I believe there is a legal restriction on how old a youngster has to be before it can be left - but where can she be supervised for a couple of hours until either my husband and I are free of work committments?

We do not have family who live in the city and, to date, have not been able to come to any other informal arrangements.

To my knowledge there is one faciltiy that caters for older children in Worcester - but it is the opposite side of the city and inquiries have already shown its (very) few places are full.

The sympathetic headmaster of the school tells us there are no formal arrangements in place although it does have after-school clubs and its library is open until 5pm for study purposes.

At the moment this seems our only option, although the finishing times still leave us with a good 30 minutes or so to make up - and I'm sure the idea of keeping the library open is not for it to be used as a childminding service.

If parents think finding care for their under eights and pre-school children is difficult - just wait till they start secondary school!

Mrs J Holtom

St John's,

Worcester.