Women more likely than men to leave job over childcare concerns.

A recent survey conducted by the Fawcett Society and Totaljobs has revealed that a staggering number of mothers are considering leaving the workforce due to the financial and emotional burden of childcare. It seems that, contrary to popular belief, it's mothers who are making the majority of sacrifices to raise their children.

From the survey of 3,000 parents with children aged four and below, it emerged that one in five women had considered leaving the workforce temporarily or permanently due to childcare pressures, compared to the one in ten men who had considered the same. This shows that mothers are twice as likely to make a career sacrifice for their children.

The survey also revealed that 30% of mothers struggle to find flexible working hours, and 34% of women feel that having children has hindered their career progress. Fathers were affected too, but to a lesser extent, with 17% of men struggling to find flexible hours and 22% feeling having children has hindered their careers.

In light of these findings, the Fawcett Society is calling on employers to 'end the motherhood penalty' and provide more support for working parents in the face of rising childcare costs. In a statement, the Fawcett Society's chief executive Jemima Olchawski said: “The UK has some of the highest childcare costs in the world, so it comes as no surprise that this has so much impact on mothers’ participation in the workforce. The UK simply can’t afford to continue to cut corners on what is essential economic infrastructure.”

Totaljobs' chief executive Jane Lorigan echoed these sentiments, adding: “There are more mothers in the workforce than ever before, and businesses need to create an environment where they can flourish. With critical labour shortages, the pressures of childcare could ultimately have a longer-term impact on our ever-shrinking workforce. Not only do working parents need more support but we need to ensure this support extends to the people who need it the most.”

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