EXCERPTS
The survey commissioned by Cuckooz Nest, a workspace with integrated nursery, found 85 per cent believe companies with over 250 employees should subsidise the childcare costs they incur.
The survey of working parents also found 91 per cent think the government should provide tax relief on childcare costs from a younger age to encourage parents to return to work earlier.
Forty-six per cent of parents said the cost of childcare was the biggest obstacle when returning to work after having a child.
Charlie Rosier, co-founder of Cuckooz Nest, said: “Childcare has always been a hot topic and while parents want to secure the best option possible for their child, the lack of flexibility and the high cost of doing so can often mean this just isn’t the case.
“Of course, there are changes the government can make but we really want to see Britain’s big businesses take the lead and get behind this initiative, whether it’s to provide an on-site nursery or to subsidise the cost for its employees.”
Parents cited flexibility as the second largest obstacle at 28 per cent with just 15 per cent saying separation from their child was the hardest barrier when returning to work.
Half of fathers said finance was the biggest problem when considering shared parental leave, with 34 per cent also worried about the risk to their career.
Although 52 per cent said they were happy to wait until their child was between the ages of one and two before returning to work, 65 per cent would return earlier if they could access more flexible childcare arrangements.
Jonathan Broadbery, NDNA’s (National Day Nurseries Association) head of policy and external relations, said: “It’s a matter for businesses how they go about attracting and keeping the right candidates but the shift from vouchers to tax free childcare has meant employers are now bypassed.
“This research just serves to highlight the shocking lack of awareness of the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme which can benefit parents of children with no lower limit.
“It’s no surprise that £600 million earmarked for childcare support has been lost back to the Treasury when less than a third of parents are aware of the scheme and only 5 per cent of parents have opened an account. Currently 82 per cent of nurseries are registered to accept Tax-Free Childcare but the Government must do more if it wants parents to access this support."