Nursery World - High childcare costs mean 'not worthwhile' for mothers to return to work

Mothers in the UK find childcare so expensive that for many there is no incentive to work full-time, a major international study has found.

Rising childcare costs mean that it is not economically viable for mothers to work full-time, as they strive to find the right balance between work and family.

The report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said that mothers are unable to work more due to high childcare costs, availability and access to childcare settings, and taxes.

‘Childcare costs and time constraints often make part-time an attractive option for mothers wishing to reconcile work and family commitments. Many mothers work part-time on a long-term basis,’ the report said.

Improvement to girls’ education in the past couple of decades could be seen as wasted, as high nursery fees mean it is not worthwhile for women to go back to work.

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