Parents take drop in income to spend time with their family

Parents prize the time they spend with their family and are happier to take a drop in income to achieve it.

Since having their children, 80 per cent of parents have made changes to the time they spend at work.

More than half of these parents did so because their life priorities had changed.

A further three in ten were forced to do so because their working hours were not compatible with available childcare.

Despite the many schemes available to help parents with the huge costs of childcare, three in twenty parents are still not finding it financially viable to return to work whilst trying to meet the expense.

The new survey for FamilyFriendlyWorking.co.uk and mumandworking.co.uk to launch the Mum and Working Awards, discovered that only 43 per cent of parents returned to employment.

The larger majority became self employed, were constantly looking for work to fit around their families, returning to study or taking a career break.

Director of mumandworking and Practical Parenting Business Parent of the Year 2007/08 Sam Willoughby says, “This shows how traditional employment patterns are no longer normal. The 2010 mumandworking awards which are supported by Sarah Beeny reward and recognise the companies and individuals that make flexible working possible and show that family-friendly employment not only supports family life but give real benefits to the companies involved.”