Parents are being forced to take emergency days off work
New research reveals that over half of parents with primary school age children have had to take days off work due to last minute childcare issues, adding even more pressure on the already demanding lives of working parents.
With 6.8 million parents working full-time in the UK, childcare is a familiar burden for many families who struggle to juggle their work commitments and childcare needs at the best of times, let alone at short notice.
Working parents need a safety net when it comes to care. At Care.com we understand the unexpected strain of childcare issues and provide a service to suit all needs...
In addition, for many parents, taking time off unexpectedly could also mean they miss out on paid work, making it further difficult for them to juggle the cost of care.
The research by Care.com uncovered that just over a third of parents with primary school age children have had to miss a vital conference or business trip and nearly the same amount have had to take two days off or more to look after their children unexpectedly.
Sigrid Daniel, UK Director of Care.com said: “Anyone who has children and holds a job knows how difficult it is to juggle home and work life.
“Just one small thing can unbalance the scale, especially last minute childcare problems. Within the current climate no one can rely on job security, adding an unnecessary layer of pressure to working parents across the country.”
In this tough economic climate, many companies and businesses are demanding more of people’s time, meaning the pressure is on for employees to be flexible in their working hours.
In addition, parents are having to take unexpected holiday days, ultimately reducing their annual allowance; but on top of this, the research shows that a fifth of parents with children under the age of 18 have had to sacrifice a holiday, mini-break or weekend away due to childcare problems, meaning even less time for them to seek the respite they deserve.
The topic of childcare has come further under the national microscope, with the Government announcing its Budget plans this week.
One of the proposed changes is a new scheme where parents may be able to claim back 20% of childcare costs up to the value of £1,200 per child from 2015.
In response to this, Sigrid said: The new scheme does benefit working parents, however, one could argue that this reflects the current situation in which, year on year, more and more UK mums are entering the workforce.
“The research that we recently conducted showing that over half of parents with primary school age children have had to take days off work due to last minute childcare issues reinforces what we know – that being a working parent is difficult and that care is critical to success.
“The new scheme offers needed support for working parents, whilst providing a boost for the childcare industry – which is good news all around.
“Care.com offers services that support the needs of working mothers, a group that has the potential to play an important role in pushing the UK economy back into growth.”
Sigrid added: “Working parents need a safety net when it comes to care. At Care.com we understand the unexpected strain of childcare issues and provide a service to suit all needs, whether you need a last-minute child carer, or longer term nanny, we have set up our service to try to provide that safety net.”
Care.com enables families seeking care to connect with millions of carers, share caregiving experiences and get advice. The company helps families address the unique lifecycle of care needs that each family goes through - childcare, care for the elderly, petcare, housekeeping and more.
For more information, visit uk.care.com
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