Six in 10 workers say partner gave up work due to cost of childcare, survey finds

Almost 60 per cent of couples with children say that one partner has given up work due to the cost of childcare, and in the majority of cases that person was a woman.

A nationwide survey conducted by Excel Recruitment has found that more than six in 10 workers feel that the cost of childcare in Ireland is unaffordable.

The survey of 563 workers also found that among 58 per cent of couples with children, one partner has had to give up work due to the cost of childcare. In 62 per cent of these cases, the person that left the workforce was a woman.

Nikki Murran, director of Grocery Retail at Excel Recruitment, noted a 2021 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which found that Ireland was the third most expensive country in the European Union for childcare.

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“Moreover, parents in urban areas, especially in Dublin, face exorbitant creche fees that often surpass €1,350 per month and beyond,” she said.

“More than six in 10 people said that the responsibility of quitting work to address childcare expenses fell on the woman parent. There is a need for greater gender equality regarding the decision to sacrifice one’s career for childcare responsibilities, as it is primarily women who bear this burden,” she said.

More than half of parents surveyed said they would consider working on Saturdays or Sundays if a weekend creche offering were available.

Ms Murran said that existing creche facilities predominantly cater to weekday demands, leaving a “significant gap” in support for those working on weekends.

“This lack of flexibility hinders parents’ ability to pursue their careers or find suitable employment, leading to potential workforce attrition,” she said.

However, Ms Murran said that establishing and maintaining weekend crèches could be challenging for childcare providers, in terms of costs, licensing requirements and staffing.

The recruitment agency has called on the Government to consider novel approaches, such as incentivising the establishment of weekend crèches, to improve access to affordable and flexible childcare services.

“To date Minister O’Gorman has achieved some commendable progress by securing a €1 billion package for the childcare sector, exceeding expectations by five years,” said Ms Murran.

“Nevertheless, it remains essential to acknowledge that more is needed in the field of childcare to effectively address the profound impact it has on parents’ capacity to work and the affordability of childcare services along with ways to alleviate this stress for all parties involved,” she said.