As the Government introduces its back to school tier system and pushes a return
to the office, Yoopies UK investigates the challenging reality of school
attendance rotas and potential school closures on parents.
In a study of over 500 British parents, over three quarters said it would be “difficult to balance work and childcare” and two fifths of mothers would take on the bulk of childcare if schools were to reclose.
As schools set to re-open, full-time parents were the largest group in favour of sending
children to school. The conclusion is clear: schools reopening are a lifeline for parents to
continue working, and the economy depends on this.
CEO Benjamin Suchar reported, “there is a clear relationship between parents who want their children to return to school and their employment status, an unsurprising trend given that schools offer working parents full-time childcare.”
Of the parents surveyed who want to send their children back, 64% were in
full-time work, 30% were in part-time work and 6% were unemployed. Contrastingly, of those who do not want to send their children back, 45% were in full-time work, 36% were in part-time work and 18% were unemployed.
Uncertainty regarding childcare particularly impacts women and their career trajectory, as
our survey highlights: women are most likely to take on the bulk of the childcare. When
asked who will look after your children if schools reclose, 39% answered ‘predominantly me’,33% answered ‘shared with partner’ and 28% were unsure.
Francesca Chong, Head of Yoopies UK adds “without adequate childcare available, we risk a situation in which women have less choice over their career options.”
The World Economic Forum has already declared Covid-19as the biggest setback to gender equality in a decade and a survey led by Pregnant Then Screwed also concluded that since lockdown, a huge 72% of mothers have had to work fewer hours because of childcare issues. Testimonies from mothers surveyed evidence of this impossible balancing act, as one mother told us, “I need to work without the anxiety of home-schooling.”
Another working mum mirrors a similar view, “I cannot continue to support my children at home in any meaningful manner and work full-time.”
Working parents: “I’m torn between care, teaching, and financial support”
Alarmingly, when asked whether parents would find it “difficult, easy or manageable” to
manage work and childcare if schools reclosed, over 3⁄4 of parents in full-time employment
said it would be “difficult”
This is particularly worrying should there be an impromptu COVID outbreak at school or localised lockdown, meaning thousands of parents could at any moment be at risk of choosing between caring for and financially supporting their children.
Francesca Chong, Head of Yoopies UK commented “there is a real lack of consistency in
policy and contingency. Parents are being encouraged to go back to the office, and by doing so are being forced to choose between childcare or their career in the case of tier 2, 3, or 4 situations.”
This ultimately begs the question as to whether encouraging a return to the office alongside a school rota system and potential school closures is a viable long-term
solution that is feasible for all families.
As the school term gets underway, one thing is clear,the question remains unanswered as to whether employers or the Government must do more to ensure accessible childcare for working families.
