Over 70% of parents say childcare accessibility has impacted their ability to work, according to new research from hiring platform Indeed.
The survey of 1000 parents in Ireland shows that almost a quarter of respondents have cut their hours at some point to cover childcare gaps, with women twice as likely as men to have reduced their hours.
According to the research, 9% of parents have changed jobs, and a further 5% have left the workforce at some point due to these challenges.
Two-thirds of working parents said they rely on friends or family to help cover childcare, while over 80% said childcare costs put a significant strain on their household finances.
More than two-thirds of respondents said they miss out on important moments in their child’s life due to work, with that figure rising to 81% for lone parents.
The vast majority of working parents said they believe accessible childcare options would significantly improve their quality of life.
Over two-thirds of respondents said remote and hybrid working has made balancing care responsibilities easier, with men more likely to agree than their female counterparts.
“Our research highlights how childcare is not just a family issue, it’s an economic one,” said Derek Diviney, Vice President at Indeed.
“Parents, and particularly female and lone parents, are being forced to cut hours, turn down opportunities or even leave jobs due to this pressure.
“The perennial challenges working parents face become particularly evident at this time of year, but it’s clear from our findings that accessible childcare and practical flexibility can make all the difference to retaining top talent,” Mr Diviney said.
The survey of 1,000 parents was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Indeed, with demographic spreads across geography, gender, age, industry and parental status.
