Lack of flexibility and childcare costs forcing parents out of work

Parents are leaving work because of a lack of flexibility and the cost of childcare.

According to a new survey for Family Friendly Working, 34.6 per cent of parents who had left work after having children had done so because of lack of flexible work opportunities. Three in ten (30.7 per cent) cite the cost of childcare as a key reason to quit.

One parent who completed the survey said: "My boss was being very demanding, insisting I would get no special treatment and that I had to be in the office from at least 9am until 6pm. This was not an option with a three month old baby so I didn't return."

Director of Family Friendly Working Antonia Chitty said: "This survey indicates that parents are not getting the flexible work that they need. More work is needed to see whether parents are unclear about their rights, whether bosses are saying no, or whether the flexible work available just isn’t flexible enough."

Legislation in introduced in 2002 through the Employment Act was designed to help working parents. Since 2003 parents with young children have had the right to request flexible work - whether changing hours or times, or to work from home. This right to request was extended in 2009 to anyone with parental responsibility for a child aged 16 or under or a disabled child under 18 who receives Disability Living Allowance.

The survey also found that around one in ten parents (11.5 per cent) are forced to quit because of lack of childcare. A similar proportion (10.7 per cent) left work because having children changed their priorities.