Nearly two-thirds (63%) of working mums in Wales with primary school age children do not have sufficient childcare for the six-week school summer holidays, according to a new survey published by the Wales TUC and campaigner Mother Pukka today (Thursday).
And the situation is even worse for single mums in Wales, with more than two-thirds (68%) telling the Wales TUC that they don’t have adequate childcare for the upcoming holidays.
More than 1,200 working mums in Wales responded to TUC and Mother Pukka survey on challenges of managing work and childcare for the school summer holiday
Mums reported huge difficulty in finding sufficient childcare post pandemic
Wales TUC calls for 10 days' paid carer’s leave for all parents – and a legal right to flexible work for all workers.
‘Huge challenges’ for working mums
At the end of June, the TUC and campaigner Mother Pukka launched a call for evidence for working mums to share their experiences of how they will manage their work and childcare commitments this school summer holidays.
More than 36,000 mums got in touch, and over 1,200 of them were from Wales.
Working mums across the public and private sector in Wales reported huge challenges in balancing their work and childcare, with nearly two-thirds (64%) saying they would find managing childcare in the holidays more difficult this year than previously.
Of those mums in Wales who said they would find summer childcare more difficult this year:
Managing work and childcare this summer
Previous TUC research has shown that working mums have picked up the lion’s share of the increase in caring responsibilities during the Covid-19 lockdowns and school closures. And this survey reveals that these school holidays will be yet another struggle for working mums.
Mums in Wales say they are juggling a variety of means to try and manage their childcare during the school holiday – and many are relying on being able to work more flexibly than before to help them cope:
Wales TUC General Secretary Shavanah Taj said:
“Working mums picked up the lion’s share of caring responsibilities while schools were closed, with many sacrificing hours and pay to do so.
“Most mums told us they don’t have enough childcare for the upcoming school holidays and are now facing a huge challenge managing their work and caring responsibilities this summer.
“It shouldn’t be this difficult. Without action we risk turning the clock back on generations of progress women have made at work.
“It’s clear parents are relying on flexibility more than ever to cope with the extra demands posed by the crisis. Let’s make sure everyone has stronger legal rights to flexible working arrangements.
“And I’d urge employers to be as supportive as they can to their staff who have kids, and not force them back to the office if working at home helps them balance their work and childcare.”
Founder of Mother Pukka Anna Whitehouse said:
“There are approximately 62 days of holiday a year, and the average employee holiday allowance is 25 days. The maths simply doesn’t add up.
“If we are going to recover from this pandemic and ensure the playing field is level for men and women at some point in the future, we need childcare to be part of our infrastructure – as important as roads, railways and signposts.
“If it’s tough for a two-parent family, have a moment to consider a single parent family. The current system has parents at breaking point.
“Together with the TUC, I want to not just break the cycle, but rebuild a whole new way of working for parents which doesn’t leave them logging off from their careers or disconnected from their family.”
Government action
The Wales TUC is calling on the UK Government to: