Who pays childcare?

As I work away from home albeit part time, my son goes to his father. This amounts to 125 nights per year give or take a couple. He is always late, never picks up or takes to school and I pick up the bill for the childcare even though he is in his fathers care..if he''s late I pay the extra......when I am home which is the rest of the time, I have no need for childcare. He pays the minimum he can and is now trying for a baby with his new fiancé which I suspect will result in even less money for my son!!!! I''m getting rather cross, any advice would be a great help..... He''s a bully by the way so I have to word things in such a way that he won''t get cross!!!!! Thanks in advance!

I know you won''t want to hear this but you look after your child 2/3rd''s of the year but presumably recieve 100% of the available child benefit and related tax credits - and of course his child maintenance. Seen from that perspective perhaps he might argue that it''s him that has the raw deal?

On the other hand having Parental Responsibility means a parent is responsible for delegated child care in "their" time, not all parents with the majority care qualify for huge amounts of tax credits, CB isn''t that much and the average child maintenance calculated by the CSA is only around £33 a week or less if those who are assessed as having zero liability are taken into account.

I think a pragmatic approach is required. If you stopped paying for child care there is a risk the father would reduce contact potentially leaving you with a bigger problem and maybe making it impossible for you to do your job.