About a quarter of a million mothers with young children have left their jobs because of difficulties balancing work and childcare, according to a report by the equal rights charity Fawcett Society. The study, conducted jointly with recruitment firm Totaljobs, highlights what it calls the 'motherhood penalty' and calls for urgent action to support working parents.
The survey of 3,000 working parents of preschoolers found that one in five working mothers had considered leaving their job, and one in ten had handed in their notice because of childcare challenges. Among single mothers, the figure rose to 13%. The charity estimates that more than 249,124 working mothers of children aged four and under have quit their employer.
Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said a lack of flexible working and affordable childcare, combined with 'outdated and toxic attitudes around motherhood', were holding women back. 'It isn't good enough to have supportive policies on paper. Businesses need to make those a reality in the workplace and create genuinely family-friendly cultures,' she added.
The report also revealed that two-fifths of working mothers had turned down a promotion or career development opportunity due to childcare concerns, and three out of four working parents had taken unpaid leave for childcare reasons, with higher rates among women from non-white backgrounds and single mothers. Jane Lorigan, chief executive of Totaljobs, warned that the pressures could have a long-term impact on an ever-shrinking workforce, and urged businesses to create environments where working parents can flourish.
A government spokesperson responded by pointing to the 'single biggest investment in childcare in England's history', which will provide 30 hours of free childcare per week for working parents of children from nine months old, backed by £8 billion a year once fully rolled out. They also highlighted the Flexible Working Bill, which requires employers to consider requests and provide a reason before rejection.
