Survey finds parents under financial strain plan to reduce work hours in 2015
High childcare costs are forcing almost a fifth of working parents to think about reducing the hours they work or quitting their jobs this year, a national survey has found.
The research with 1,000 parents of children aged under 16 years old, commissioned by charity 4Children, found that of those parents paying for childcare, 18 per cent found that the costs outweighed the benefits of working.
More than a quarter (28 per cent) of the same parents said they plan to reduce the number of treats for their family to meet high childcare costs, while 16 per cent admitted they plan to cut back on essentials this year.
With the general election this year, parents urged the political parties to make childcare costs a priority issue. Workers with children under four are having a particularly difficult time financially, so it’s no surprise that 73 per cent called on political parties to offer them more help with childcare costs, and 62 per cent said this issue should be an election priority.
Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said: “Childcare represents a huge financial challenge for most parents and our poll shows the real impact costs are having on family life – from giving up work to cutting back on essentials. Removing parents’ choice as to whether or not they continue to work after having children is not the answer for families or for the economy.
“Parents of the youngest children are feeling the pressures most acutely and are calling on politicians to do more to help, particularly with the cost of childcare.
“The family vote will be key at the ballot box in May and 4Children is throwing down the gauntlet to politicians to set out how they will ensure childcare meets the needs of modern family life.”
However, a Department for Education (DfE) spokesman said that childcare costs were becoming more stable in England despite having increased for the past 12 years.
"All three-and four-year-olds now receive 15 hours of free childcare a week, and we have extended this to around 40 per cent of two-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds.
"The introduction of tax-free childcare will give almost two million families the opportunity to receive up to £2,000 of support per child."
The charity 4Children is a DFE strategic partner for early years and childcare. It is currently running a national childcare hubs pilot scheme designed to help parents access a tailored package of childcare by coordinating all the different types of childcare available in their local area.