New research finds that nearly a fifth of parents in the UK have been forced to give up their jobs because of the high cost of childcare.
The study, conducted by pregnant and shattered groups, found that the high costs of childcare make 84% of families worried about their financial situation.
About 62% of parents said they were forced to work less hours because of the cost of childcare. The burden of childcare fees is often borne by women, which increases the gender pay gap and what is known as "maternity punishment," the researchers note.
The survey, which surveyed about 1,800 parents, came after the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development found that the UK was implementing one of the world's most expensive systems.
"I have two children. One is two and a half years old and twelve months old. I spend more than 50% of my salary on childcare costs every month," said Aseel Haddad, a spokeswoman for the Pregnant and Shattered group. Work is lucky because my income and my partner are fairly good. It has prevented many. The cost of childcare is a punishment for women and it is incapacitating. There is no point in working if it becomes expensive because of childcare. Professionally because childcare is too expensive, they cannot find flexible jobs and are therefore obliged to do so Part-time jobs and low wages to have time to care for children
"This is the reason for the gender pay gap. In most cases, if you are not working full-time, your chances of getting a higher pension, career development and even training in some cases are less. But in most cases, if you work part-time," she said. "You are seen as being less effective and less committed. We are limiting the potential of women and I find it frightening. We hear stories about women working as doctors and teachers and facing difficulties." Concerns about the cost of childcare are causing "stress" straining romantic relationships, she said, adding that "financial pressures" were a "huge reason" for the end of marriages and relationships.
Julie Brierley, who founded the Pregnant and Broken Group, called childcare costs “punitive,” saying the current system disappointed parents, child care providers and care workers. "If we want to change the landscape for women, and parents, we need to provide properly subsidized childcare from nine months old. The government provided 'free' childcare for 30 hours a week starting at three years old, and exempted employees from paying taxes on But this is not enough, and it affects not only parents but also childcare providers because they are unable to cover the costs of providing the service. Women get one year maternity leave of which nine months are paid, so there are two years. Either the mother spends at home with her children to provide The high cost of child care or return to work and bear the burden of a huge bill, note that many hours of work in order to cut down on the balance achieve their ".
The Gingerbread Foundation for Single Parents noted that these parents were particularly dependent on “good childcare” so that they could work as “primary caregivers and primary income earners.”
“For many, this is a huge burden on their finances,” said Faye Goldman, a director at Gingerbread. Good business and financial difficulties until more support is given to low-income parents to help them effectively raise childcare costs. ”
"We are investing record sums in childcare and early education, including around £ 3.5 billion earmarked for our free early education benefits this year alone," a government spokesman said. "In the first two years of the program, 600,000 children aged Three and four years of a 30-hour free course, working parents also receive help to cover childcare costs through tax exemptions and through the global credit system We want to support early care providers to provide quality care and education, which is why We recently announced an additional £ 66 million to increase the costs per hour of free hours provided by the government during 2020 and 2021. ”