The Juggle of the School Holidays

It’s half-term again. That time of year when working parents—especially mothers—brace themselves for the impossible task of juggling career demands with childcare. It’s not just about finding a solution for a week or two; it’s about confronting the deeply ingrained, systemic failures that make childcare in this country one of the biggest barriers to women’s progress in the workplace.

The figures tell the story. The UK has some of the most expensive childcare in the world—averaging over £14,000 a year for a full-time nursery place for a child under two, and up to £22,000 in London. Parents are now spending up to two-thirds of their income on childcare, with costs soaring over 50% in the last decade. And yet, we still wonder why women are stepping back from work or dropping out altogether?

The Cost of Care vs. The Cost of Work

For too many women, the equation simply doesn’t add up. A quarter of mothers in the UK have been forced to quit their jobs due to unaffordable childcare, and another 26% have had to cut their hours against their will. For those who do stay, the financial toll is brutal—school holidays alone can add an extra £1,700 a month to a family’s childcare costs.

Meanwhile, the expectations placed on women remain unchanged. The ‘second shift’ is alive and well, with women still doing two-thirds of the unpaid domestic labour—a reality that intensifies during school holidays. Booking holiday clubs, organising playdates, patching together care from family and friends—it all falls disproportionately on mothers.

And what happens when employers don’t accommodate? Women are left with little choice but to make the ‘choice’ that was never really a choice at all: stepping back.

Why Should Businesses Care?

The impact of this crisis isn’t just personal; it’s economic. We can’t talk about productivity, talent retention, or gender pay gaps without talking about childcare.

Instead, outdated workplace cultures mean that women continue to take the career hit. One in four mothers has turned down a promotion because they couldn’t make the childcare puzzle work. And let’s not pretend it’s just about personal ambition—this is about survival. When the cost of childcare exceeds what a woman earns, when flexible work isn’t an option, when the culture still penalises those who prioritise family, what are they supposed to do?

What Needs to Change?

We need real, radical change—not just another report confirming what we already know.

1. Childcare That Works for Parents, Not Just for Profit

More affordable, high-quality childcare should be a national priority. Expanding free hours is a start, but without availability, it’s meaningless. It’s time to look at the models that work elsewhere—countries like Sweden, where parents pay no more than 3% of their income on childcare—and demand better here.

2. Flexible Work That’s Actually Flexible

The pandemic proved we could work differently, yet many employers are sliding back to old, rigid models. More companies need to embrace genuine flexibility—not just remote work for a lucky few, but real, systemic change that allows parents to thrive in their careers without sacrificing their families.

3. Parental Leave That’s Actually Equal

Until fathers are given—and expected to take—equal parental leave, women will continue to bear the brunt of childcare. We need policies that push for cultural change—because when men take more leave, women stay in the workforce.

4. A Business Culture That Supports, Not Penalises, Parents

Companies must stop treating childcare as a personal problem for women to solve. It’s an economic issue, a productivity issue, and a talent retention issue. Open discussions, subsidised childcare, and policies that reflect the reality of modern parenting should be the norm, not the exception.

Enough Talk—It’s Time for Action

The childcare crisis isn’t a women’s issue. It’s a society-wide failure that’s forcing half the population to make impossible choices.

It’s time for businesses, policymakers, and yes, men too, to step up. If we’re serious about closing the gender pay gap, advancing women’s careers, and building a workforce that reflects the world we live in, we have to start with childcare.

Otherwise, every half-term, we’ll be having the same conversation. And women will keep paying the price.

We would love to hear your thoughts—what has your experience been like balancing childcare and work? Have your employers supported you, or have you had to make career sacrifices?