Nursery World - Working mothers raise concern over lack of childcare

Two in five working mothers are worried they won’t be able to find the childcare they need this September, according to a report from the TUC.

The TUC survey highlights how working mothers have had to take on more childcare responsibilities during the pandemic

An ICM survey for the TUC has found that 41 per per cent of working mothers with children under 10 cannot find - or are unsure whether they will be able to find - enough childcare this month.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is calling for an urgent cash boost – similar to the financial help given to the industry in Germany – so that childcare providers can continue to offer the levels of care they were providing before the pandemic.

Among mothers that said they would be unable to find enough childcare, nearly half (45 per cent) said they don’t have their usual help from friends and family providing informal childcare.

Many were also concerned about before- and after-school childcare availability: 35 per cent said they can't get places at after-school clubs and 28 per cent have lost childcare provided by school breakfast clubs.

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