Poorer parents are more likely to experience work-related challenges
Balancing work and home time
Balancing work and home time
55 %
of working mums have reduced their hours to spend more time with their children
Over a quarter
of working parents have changed jobs to spend more time with their children
One in eight
parents have had a flexible working request denied
The Covid-19 pandemic changed the world of work forever . Those who could do their jobs remotely had to adjust quickly , but when restrictions were lifted , not everyone headed back into the office .
Parents are leading the shift away from commuting to work , with over half now working from home at least some of the week . 45 % of working parents with children entitled to free school meals told us they regularly work from home too , suggesting this change isn ’ t only being taken up by more affluent families . That said , they are less likely to work from home – as are parents with a child whose first language is not English and those from the North East , the West Midlands or Northern Ireland . Working from home is having a positive impact – more than eight in ten parents ( 91 % of mums and 83 % of dads ) said working from home makes it easier to balance work and parenting .
Poorer parents are more likely to experience work-related challenges
While this is great for those with flexible employers , not everyone has been able to take advantage of this . A third of working parents never work from home because they cannot do their my job from home , whilst more than one in ten parents have been told by their bosses they can ’ t work from home at all , and one in eight have had a flexible working request refused .
“
My work day is longer than the children ’ s school day , there is always overlap – I need extra childcare in order to keep my job .
- Parent response
NATIONALPARENTSURVEY . COM NATIONAL PARENT SURVEY 2024 17