Combining childcare with work
Professional barriers
The issue
Juggling work and family responsibilities can inhibit progression, especially when childcare options are limited and expensive. This issue was highlighted by 22% of respondents in our survey, who cited access to affordable childcare as a critical barrier to their career progression. Furthermore, 19% of our survey respondents cited primary caregiving responsibilities as a barrier to business growth. Alone Together: Entrepreneurship and Diversity in the UK, a report by the British Business Bank and Oliver Wyman, found that 53% of female entrepreneurs spend nearly double the time caring for others compared to that of male entrepreneurs7.
The government plans to extend the entitlement to 30 hours of free childcare from when a child is 9 months old, starting in 2025.
The UK government's current policy provides 30 hours of free childcare for working families with children aged 3 and 4. However, this leaves a gap in support for parents with younger children, from the end of parental leave until preschool age. Recognising this issue, the government plans to extend the entitlement to 30 hours of free childcare from when a child is 9 months old, starting in 2025.The new Labour government has also pledged to establish over 3,000 new nursery classes and free breakfast clubs in primary schools across England8. While our survey focused on the experiences of women, it is important to recognise that affordable childcare impacts all parents, irrespective of gender.
Interestingly, only 15% of our survey respondents identified improved childcare as a way to enable women to reach leadership positions, in spite of 22% identifying access to affordable childcare as a barrier to progression. This suggests that making childcare affordable in isolation may not help. Deeper societal change, in and out of the workplace, is required to realise the benefits of an improved childcare policy, shifting the expectation that women are the primary carers. Those same attitudes also need to shift in favour of co-parenting and shared parental leave, where men can feel discriminated against if they choose to take up their right to extended leave.
What our panel said
Members of our female leaders panel highlighted an underlying assumption that women are the primary carers, whether that be for children or elderly relatives; and emphasised that their career success had been enabled by supportive partners and families. This includes having a partner who shares childcare duties, as well as employers who offer family-friendly policies and a supportive work environment.
"I think childcare is definitely a barrier, particularly when you get to families of more than two. It is very difficult, especially in London, where you don't always have your extended family around."
- Lucy Doubleday
“Women are still largely responsible for childcare, which makes it really challenging.”
- Jenny Kitchen
“Childcare in the UK is a problem throughout the entire system. Not having access to affordable childcare solutions from 6 months of age is an incredibly limiting factor for the whole economy and but especially for women in the prime of their careers. The UK has the most expensive childcare in Europe.”
- Rebecca Rosmini
"There is still a stigma for women when she has childcare issues. It's a battle that both men and women face, but childcare is something that women are seen as being responsible for."
- Lea Cheesbrough
"Flexibility across all levels in the workplace is becoming much more acceptable. But being a senior person in business and juggling the business needs with childcare is really challenging, even more so if the primary childcare responsibility is on the woman. Having a good support network around you is critical. It is difficult to create an equitable balance between work and family at senior level. I was extremely lucky that I had very good family support, which enabled me to totally focus on my career.”
- Heidi Carslaw
“There are a lot of compromises on the way, and you need to hope you've got a supportive partner or family to go on that journey.”
- Rebecca Rosmini
One respondent referred to the ‘eye rolling’ when leaving for the regular school run, and others noted it was the mother who was always called when a child was sick at school.
Action needed
Changing societal norms is a slow process, but changes in the workplace can be immediate. To support all working parents, we need to advocate for improved childcare policies and provisions. This includes accessible and affordable childcare options, as well as flexible work environments that allow parents to balance their caregiving duties with their business responsibilities.
7 Alone, together: Entrepreneurship and diversity in the UK, British Business Bank and Oliver Wyman, p.30
8 Labour’s plan for childcare and early education, labour.org.uk, p.1