Parents in need of more support from employers

A majority (73%) of parents have said that their childcare needs are different now due to coronavirus, and additional employer support is required.

A new survey by childcare support app Bubble found nearly three-quarters of parents either need more childcare, or more flexibility with existing support as a long-term result of the pandemic.

Twenty five per cent of parents surveyed said their need for support with childcare had increased thisyear compared to only 10% that said it had reduced.

A further 94% of working parents said they believe it’s important for their employer to support them when it comes to childcare, arguing it would increase their loyalty to the business (85%) and boost their productivity too (76%).

However, despite this, 73% of parents said their workplace offered them no access or financial support when it comes to childcare.

The way working patterns shifted in the spring as a result of COVID-19 illustrated that many more jobs than employers previously thought can be done on a flexible basis.