The findings are detailed in the initial report of an 18-month inquiry, due to be published tomorrow (27 November), which has so far involved more than 1,000 families. Trends it identifies include parents who already work taking on second jobs and families having one parent working during the day and the other at night to save on childcare costs.
The findings echo research published earlier this year by the think-tank the Relationships Foundation, which found the economic climate was driving more families to work around the clock, so parents were spending less time with children (Analysis, 20 July).
Sarah Jackson, chief executive of Working Families, said, 'These findings clearly show that the cost of childcare is a huge drain on family budgets - this is what shift parenting is usually about. However, arrangements like these inevitably put a strain on parental relationships.'
4Children's research also found that many parents had been forced to reduce their hours when they preferred to work full-time.
A spokesperson for 4Children called for politicians to ensure that Government policy keeps up to date with the changes that families are making to their lives.
Download the report at 4children.org.uk.
