The report, Moving Mountains, was launched at the organisation's annual conference, where as a speaker the Conservative leader David Cameron outlined a childcare strategy to build a more family-friendly approach to working.
Mr Cameron said, 'Families need financial support from the Government for childcare, but they should be allowed to spend it on informal care if they wish. Choice is vital and a range of childcare provision must reflect this.'
He said that changing working cultures was a challenge beyond the remit of legislation. 'The expansion of maternity leave is to be welcomed, but employers must create opportunities for women to progress in a flexible way once they have returned to work.'
This idea was supported by communities secretary Ruth Kelly, in her response last week to the Women and Work Commission's report, Shaping a Fairer Future, which suggests initiatives to help women close the pay gap with men. Ms Kelly has made a commitment to an action plan which will include a national campaign to encourage businesses to offer women help with flexible working and high quality part-time work.
The case for combining flexible working with subsidised childcare was also argued by constitutional affairs minister Harriet Harman at the TUC conference in Brighton.
The Working Families report, Moving Mountains, is available at www.workingfamilies.org.uk.
