Rapid decline of the stay-at-home mother
More than 72% back at work despite a young family
RECORD numbers of Scottish mothers are now in work.
More than 72 per cent of Scots mothers of young children are in work, more than half of them in full-time jobs – compared to 68 per cent across the UK.
Official figures come as overall employment breaks the 2.6million barrier. According to the Office of National Statistics, just over 60 per cent of mothers with children under five are in employment.
That soars to more than 73 per cent when children start school and more than 80 per cent on starting secondary school.
The female workforce has risen to more than 1.28million but many are in l ow- paid temporary jobs or under-employed, as around a third of new posts are part-time.
Last night, there were calls f or childcare provision to be dramatically improved to help more women get back to work – and find better jobs.
Rising childcare costs mean mot he r s returning t o wo r k are increasingly reliant on grandparents.
After- s chool care costs an average of more than £50 a week, pre- school care for under-twos costs more than £100 a week and a full-time nursery place leaves parents with an annual bill of more than £11,000.
Experts believe the tax and benefits system is skewed, making childcare costs a burden f or middle-income families where both parents work but do not qualify for tax credits.
Finance Secretary John Swinney recently extended free childcare to more than 15,000 two-year-olds by next year. Parents now receive a minimum of 600 hours a year of free nursery education and childcare.
Ministers have encouraged councils to keep nurseries open for longer. But Norman Wells of the Family Education Trust said: ‘Government policies have been encouraging more mothers to join the workforce. As a result, many are facing increased financial pressure to work outside the home when they would far rather be more available to their children.
‘Children who enjoy a good, solid relationship with their parents tend to have better health and educational outcomes and are less likely to take drugs, engage in underage sex, or turn to crime.’
Labour spokesman for Fair Work, Skills & Training, Neil Findlay said: ‘It is important that a Scottish Government works to develop a labour market which ensures that all parents are fully supported when they seek to enter the workforce.
‘That is why Scottish Labour has called for a complete overhaul of our childcare system, to ensure that all parents can make the most of every opportunity available to them.’
Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training, Rosanna Cunningham said: ‘We welcome these statistics which show that the employment rate for women with dependent children in Scotland in 2013, at 72.1 per cent, was higher than the UK rate of 68.6 per cent for the same period.’
Katie Grant – Page 14