Almost one in four parents say they have had to cut back on their work hours at some point to cover for lack of childcare, according to recruitment platform Indeed.
Over seven in 10 cite the lack of childcare options as a significant barrier to work, with two-thirds of working parents saying they rely on family or friends to take care of their children at times.
Parents cited cost and availability of childcare as the two big hurdles facing families in a survey conducted by Indeed among 1,000 working parents.
Women are twice as likely as men (31 per cent versus 15 per cent) to have reduced their hours because of childcare responsibilities. Almost one in 10 parents say they changed jobs to better accommodate care for their children and a further one in 20 was forced out of the workforce as a result of limitations on childcare options.
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Sixty-two per cent of respondents reported that their career progression had been negatively affected by their care responsibilities.
“The back-to-school period should be an exciting time for families, but for many working parents it highlights the daily struggle to balance work and care responsibilities,” said Indeed vice-president Derek Diviney.
“Our research highlights how childcare is not just a family issue, it’s an economic one. Parents, and particularly women, and lone parents, are being forced to cut hours, turn down opportunities or even leave jobs due to this pressure.
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“It’s clear from our findings that accessible childcare and practical flexibility can make all the difference to retaining top talent,” he said.
The financial impact is a significant strain for many parents, with 81 per cent saying childcare costs put significant pressure on their household finances. Roughly the same number say that accessible childcare options would significantly improve their quality of life.
Most parents say that they have some flexibility from their employer to cover things like school runs, school holidays and illnesses, although just over one in four said such flexibility was easy to access. Two-thirds say that they have missed out on important moments in their child’s life due to work.
The pressure for single parents is even greater, with them more likely to miss out on their key events and more reliant on family to provide childcare.
More than two-thirds of all parents say that remote and hybrid working have made balancing care responsibilities easier, with men being more likely to agree.
Asked to rank the factors that would make the biggest difference to them, parents cited, in order:
- more flexible working hours;
- more affordable childcare;
- the ability to work remotely at certain key times.
One in five said seeing their employers enforce a “right to switch off” would also be a help.
