Problems accessing decent childcare are affecting the wellbeing of working parents.
According to Working Families, one in three parents in employment have reduced their hours because they struggled to find reliable and affordable childcare.
Figures showed that 31% have asked their employer if they could work flexibly so they could manage their childcare duties.
Meanwhile, 24% admitted they rely on their partners or relatives for help, who in turn have been forced to cut their own working hours or quit their jobs completely.
Unsurprisingly, this is having a knock-on effect on the career progression of working parents, with 16% saying childcare issues have made them avoid applying for new roles altogether.
Employers must offer better support to working parents
The findings have led to renewed calls for employers to offer more flexible working opportunities to parents in the workplace.
“So many parents [are] stuck in a cycle where childcare is either unaffordable or unavailable, forcing families to make impossible choices,” said Anna Whitehouse, founder of Flex Appeal and an ambassador for Working Families.
“If we truly want to support families, we need workplaces that make it possible for parents to manage the balancing act of work and childcare, without having to sacrifice their own wellbeing.”
Jane van Zyl, chief executive of Working Families, added that the limited availability and rising cost of childcare has led to “a lot of parents” struggling to balance work and family life.
“Accessing affordable and reliable childcare has become a significant challenge for many families,” she said.
“It’s not just an inconvenience - it’s a barrier that impacts career opportunities, financial stability, and overall wellbeing.”
Time to ‘stop witch-hunt against flexible working’
The study coincides with a joint statement, signed by groups including the TUC, Pregnant Then Screwed and Gingerbread, which criticised the current “witch-hunt” against flexible working.
In the statement, the organisations said “relentless scaremongering” about government plans to enhance flexible working rights “couldn’t be further from the truth”.
Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, commented: “Improving access to flexible working will benefit workers and businesses, whether it's through increasing staff productivity or higher retention.
“When people feel secure and respected at work, they have happier, healthier lives and perform better in their jobs.”
Victoria Benson, chief executive of Gingerbread, added that “old-fashioned, inflexible” working patterns are hurting single parents in particular, as many are “locked out of the workforce or stuck in jobs beneath their skill level”.
“Employers who don’t offer flexible working are missing out on an untapped pool of talent and single parents are missing out on jobs,” she said.
“We need to see single parents supported to thrive at work – not just because it’s good for them and their children but because it's good for employers and our economy too."
Written by James Glynn
Senior Financial Content Writer
