Some parents across South Yorkshire leaving children unsupervised
Some families across Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley say they can't afford childcare
We’re hearing parents across South Yorkshire are risking leaving their child at home without supervision because they can't afford childcare.
The NSPCC say the cost of living crisis is putting extra pressure on families.
Last year alone their helpline made 519 referrals in Yorkshire and the Humber - an increase of 28% on 2020.
We spoke to Helen Westerman from the NSPCC in Yorkshire about the situation:
She told us: "We know that rising childcare costs really present challenges for families who are struggling to look after youngsters who are are out of school.
"Some adults also need to be in work too.
"We also know the pandemic was having a knock-on effect on the decisions families were having to make about childcare.
"Adults were juggling work, having to home school so it was a really challenging time.
"It's against the law to leave a child at home alone if it puts them at risk.
"A child that doesn't feel comfortable should never be left.
"Every child matures differently so it's almost impossible to have a one size fits all law.
"Some parents will leave children home alone to do social activities and that's fine if the child is mature enough and understands what to do in an emergency.
"Clearly that's not Ok if the child is unhappy to be left alone or the child is much younger."