Parents Expect More From Employers But Few Provide Help With Childcare

Only one in ten working parents say their employer provides help with childcare, according to a new MORI survey commissioned by Daycare Trust with support from UNISON. But more parents think their employer is family friendly than two years ago.

The survey findings are published at the start of National Childcare Week 2001 and in advance of tomorrow's major national conference, 'Beyond Compliance', on balancing work and family life.

The MORI survey also shows that parents' expectations of what their employer should do to help them balance work and family life have increased in some areas in the last two years.

One in ten (11%) of working parents say their employer provides help with childcare, compared to 8% in 1999.

But the proportion of working parents who feel that their employer is family friendly has risen by ten percentage points over the last two years - from 54% in 1999 to 64% this year - although there has been no increase in those who say their employer is very family friendly.

Three in ten (31%) describe their employer as not family friendly. Fathers are much more likely than mothers to describe their employer as not family friendly (39% compared to 19%) as are parents who are full-time workers compared to part-time workers (36% to 15%).

Since 1999 parents' expectations of employers helping them balance work and family life by providing extended parental leave have increased (from 13% in 1999 to 24% in 2001).

Parents' expectations of what employers contribute to nursery costs and their provision of holiday play schemes and workplace nurseries has also risen - respectively up eight percentage points to 29%, six percentage points to 23% and eight percentage points to 22%.

Fathers are more likely than mothers to state extended parental leave as a priority (30% compared to 15%).

Full-time working parents say their top priority is contributions to nursery costs (31%) while part-time workers prioritise holiday play schemes (36%).

Other key findings from the MORI survey include:

• 93% of parents say that affordable quality childcare should be available to all children aged twelve months or older.
• Parents say the top three improvements they want are: more affordable provision (43%), more places available (38%) and more employer support with childcare (38%).
• Most parents say it is the Government that should contribute more to the cost of childcare (60%), 41% say employers and only 16% say parents themselves.
• 67% of parents think childcare staff are poorly paid but 70% think trained, experienced staff are the important factor in high quality childcare.

Stephen Burke, Director of Daycare Trust, said: "Higher expectations of employers bear out parents' views, expressed in 1999, that family friendly employment policies would become more important over the next five years. But still too few employers provide real help with childcare, despite the gains for both employer and employee. More incentives need to be provided to encourage employers to do more."

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, the UK's largest union, said:

"We know from our members that employers' contribution to childcare is woefully inadequate. There is an enormous unmet demand for high quality, affordable childcare, not just for early years but for dependent children of all ages."

"Employers should see investment in childcare as an investment in their workforce. Quality childcare doesn't come cheap and that means that it has to be subsidised not only from the public purse but by employers; but the benefits that employers gain are obvious. Workers will be much more efficient, focused and committed if they are secure in the knowledge that their children are safe and well cared for."

Technical details

Using its General Public Omnibus, MORI conducted a quota sample of 587 interviews with parents/guardians of children aged 0-14 years, across 189 constituency-based sampling points in Great Britain. Interviews were carried out using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing), face-to-face in respondents' homes between 22-27 March 2001. Data have been weighted to reflect the national population profile.

Daycare Trust is the national childcare charity. It promotes quality affordable childcare for all and advises parents, providers, employers, trade unions and policy makers on childcare issues. Daycare Trust runs a childcare helpline for parents (020-7840 3350), open or calls Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm. Parents can also visit www.daycaretrust.org.uk

National Childcare Week 2001 takes place on 20-27 May and is organised by Daycare Trust. Its theme of 'childcare voices, childcare choices' aims to highlight the importance of listening to children and parents as childcare services expand.

National Childcare Week features national and local activities including:

• new research on the benefits of childcare, particularly for children
• a national conference on balancing work and family life
• a children's photo competition
• a new guide for employers on 'childcare choices' for their staff
• local events across the country on family friendly Friday (25 May)

'Beyond Compliance' is a national conference held by Daycare Trust, Maternity Alliance and New Ways to Work on Tuesday 22 May at Thistle Hotel, Victoria.