Britain fails to care for children, finds survey of more than 20,000 working parents | baby care

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Tens of thousands of working parents say the government is failing them with inappropriate childcare policies that leave them financially crippled, crippled in their careers and in desperate need of drastic change, according to a large survey.

The survey of more than 20,000 working parents, shared with the Guardian and involving more than a dozen organizations, found that 96% believed ministers had not done enough to support parents with the cost and availability of childcare while 97% said childcare at The UK is expensive.

A third of parents said they paid more for childcare than rent or mortgage. This percentage rose to 38% for those working full-time or if they were single parents, and to 47% of respondents of black ethnicity.

child care survey fee

The poll comes ahead of a debate on childcare in Parliament on Monday, which began after more than 100,000 parents signed a petition calling for an independent review of childcare funding and affordability.

OECD Child Care Comparison Chart

According to OECD data, the UK has the third most expensive childcare system in the world, after only Slovakia and Switzerland. The cost of a full-time place is on average £12,376 per year.

Research by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) found that between 2008 and 2016 the cost of providing daycare for a one-year-old rose four times faster than wages in England. In London, it was seven times faster.

Childcare costs have risen four times faster than the wage graph

Warnings that the early years sector is in danger of collapse have been largely ignored and morale is low: Research by Nursery World has found that one in 10 childcare workers lives in poverty.

Justin Roberts, CEO of the online forum Mumsnet, said: “This is a problem that has been hiding in plain sight for years, and parents know exactly how bad their failure is. Government must not ignore the misery and stress that this issue is causing parents across the country.”

The survey found that the people who struggled the most were those with low income, universal credit, single parents, disabilities or a black ethnic background. One in three parents with a family income of less than £20,000 have had to cut back on basic food or housing as a direct result of childcare bills, while four in 10 single parents have had to use credit cards to pay for essentials.

Ninety-two percent of parents said the cost of childcare has affected their standard of living, while 50 percent said the cost was too high or had a significant impact. 94 percent of parents who changed their work patterns after having children said childcare costs were a factor in the decision.

The survey also revealed how heavily dads rely on family for childcare – while 75% used private nurseries to take care of children, 56% of parents said they depended on grandparents for help. Overall, the survey found that 99% of all respondents agreed that childcare should be recognized as a vital part of the UK’s economic and social infrastructure.

“All we want from government is transparency,” said Julie Brierley, founder of charity Pregnant Then Screwed. “The cost of childcare continues to increase, forcing more parents out of their jobs, and the quality of our early years settings declines, which will have dire long-term consequences. We all have to. We don’t think the government is aware of the extent of the problem and its impact on families and the economy.”

The survey was produced and distributed by Mumsnet, Pregnant then Screwed, TUC, Fawcett Society, Women’s Budget Group, Gingerbread, Working Families, The Parenthood Institute, Maternity Action, Music Football, Parenthood, Mother Pukka, Tova Leigh, Black Mums up front, The Young Women Trust and Kathy Ray (that single mom).

The data, which was not weighted, were collected from 20,046 UK parents with at least one child aged 18 or younger, and were conducted between 20 July and 31 August 2021 – with 97% of respondents being women.

It provided compelling evidence that the lack of access to childcare inhibits progress in gender equality. Only 16% of women said childcare did not affect their seniority or income at work, compared to 42% of men. Among the respondents, 83% said that childcare costs and availability affected mothers more than fathers; 41% of male respondents said it affects parents equally. Two-thirds of female respondents reduced their working hours after giving birth, compared to 26% of men.

“Our government can’t let go of this – it’s clear that a lack of access to childcare is preventing women from going to work and getting ahead in work,” said Felicia Willow, chief executive of the Fawcett Society.

The survey also indicated that the government’s pioneering shared parental leave policy was particularly failing. Only 17% of respondents said that it is beneficial for their families.

Ross Bragg, director of Maternity Action, said: “Severely flawed shared parental leave has been as beneficial for working fathers as a chocolate teapot. The take-up rate among eligible families is now less than 4% in the fifth year of operation. Clearly we need to start over.”

“Exorbitant childcare costs reinforce traditional gender-based parenting roles and make it difficult for fathers to be flexible in their work and to be fully active and engaged parents,” said Elliot Ray, founder of Parenting in Musical Football.

The survey suggested that respondents want to see a radical reform of the childcare system: 90% of parents supported at least three months of “use it or lose it” parental leave for fathers, and paid at least the level of the minimum wage while 94% believed that subsidized childcare should Starting from the end of paid maternity leave.

“We don’t want tinkering at the edges. Our crippled parental leave system needs an overhaul,” said Frances O’Grady, TUC’s general secretary.

The Department for Education said that parents’ ability to claim 30 ‘free’ hours a week during term time for children aged three to four could save them up to £5,000 a year, and the number of childcare places offered by service providers Fixed.

A spokesperson for the company said early years providers had received financial support during the pandemic, and that the government had invested £3.5 billion a year in childcare since 2018, adding: “We are saving millions more through our Recovery Fund to raise the bar for early outcomes for children, Raising the quality of early education further.

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