Nursery World - Mothers' careers at risk of being forfeited due to coronavirus

A reliable and affordable childcare system is a prerequisite of a gender equal economy and recovery from the pandemic, according to a new report by the Women and Equalities Committee.

Government policies are 'skewed towards men', said the women and equalities committee chair, Caroline Nokes MP

The importance of childcare provision for women’s participation in paid work, and the precarious position of the childcare sector were both highlighted in the findings presented to the House of Commons.

The inquiry, which looks at how the economic impact of coronavirus has impacted men and women differently, found that the childcare sector could ‘hardly have been in worse financial shape’ on the eve of the pandemic and that the system, which was already not working for many parents, ‘buckled’.

It states, ‘Given that women make up the vast majority of the childcare workforce, and that mothers continue to bear the main responsibility for childcare, there is a clear gendered impact. The Government must commit to urgent short-term financial support and a sustainable and holistic long-term strategy.’

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