You don’t have to be a parent to read the realities of childcare in the UK. It’s been a political hot potato, wrapped in headlines of how broken it is, how the maths doesn’t add up for parents in the workplace. There’s also a distinct lack of answers or plans.
So what on earth are employers meant to do about it? Something that feels wildly out of our control but also an essential part of the support network parents need. Being able to show up in their careers doesn’t happen by accident and as employers we want to make sure we’re not haemorrhaging talent who happen to have childcare on their rider list.
Whilst you might not be coming up with the infrastructure solutions, there are roles you can play as an employer, so let’s dive in…
1. Could you provide the backup?
In the moments where planned childcare doesn’t go to…well, plan…could you be the port in a storm for a parent? Amongst all the challenges regular, organised childcare and school can throw at a parent, it’s the curveballs that have the potential to create havoc.
2. Are flex options flexible?
If someone needed to make a temporary change to their working pattern, could they? Would they know it’s an option? If flexible working is steeped in process and formality (of which we do need in lots of cases) with no wiggle room for those in the moment, short-term situations we need to navigate become a double whammy of a hill climb.
3. Can you offer financial support?
Childcare vouchers, salary sacrifice, loan schemes…there are ways to get creative that are in line with what you can afford as an organisation. There are the bigger players like First Direct, Next, Toyota and Cisco who go after things like onsite nurseries but there are plenty of smaller scale examples like access to childcare schemes and different degrees of subsidising fees.
It’s not one I’m putting in the tips, but something to consider is your standing in the industry and who you have the influence over. There are government eyes on what the future of childcare looks like and there are employers out there who wield power that can be used for good. If you’re seeing a direct impact between investing in childcare and the positive impact on business performance (or even vice versa as a proof point) then could now be the time to speak up?
We have some great recommendations for back up childcare providers, so if this is something you’re looking to put in place you can email hello@power-of-the-parent.com and we’ll send you the info.