Nursery World - Childcare is a juggling act for most mothers

Government childcare policies are failing to address the complexity of the daily life of the modern working woman, according to new research published last week, which found that women continue to bear the brunt of juggling childcare arrangements and the 'school run'. The study, led by Professor Linda McDowell at University College London, looked at who does what in the home, including managing childcare if parents work shifts.

The study, led by Professor Linda McDowell at University College London, looked at who does what in the home, including managing childcare if parents work shifts.

It found that arranging childcare for families with young children typically involves as many as three or four different types of regular care.

Interviews were carried out with 139 households with at least one employed adult, including 26 single-parent households, from different economic backgrounds in six areas in London and Manchester.

The researchers said, 'Other than the most affluent households with pre-school children in each city, who tended to purchase full-time care in the market, the majority of families were dependent on complicated arrangements that needed careful scheduling across time and space, typically using three or four different forms of regular care. The smallest disruption in these arrangements is enough to precipitate a crisis.'

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