Finally, a Win for Working Parents!
At Evoke Media, we are pleased to see the UK government taking steps to provide more support for parents in the Spring 2023 budget. As a women-led small business, I understand first-hand the importance of childcare cost support for working parents.
Childcare is a critical issue for many working parents, and the cost can often be a significant barrier to accessing quality care. For many families, the cost of childcare can be as much as a second mortgage, and it can be a significant financial burden for parents, particularly those on lower incomes.
Evoke was actually born from the problem of there not being enough support for working parents. While on maternity leave, the company I had not long been at prior fell into administration. With a 3-month-old and twin 3-year-olds, going back to work didn’t feel viable.
After train costs, station parking and full-time nursery, I would have been left with less than £1000 each month from my salary. Our nursery quote at the time was an eye-watering £4000 and there was still the odd additional supplementary cost required on top of that.
This situation sparked the idea to start taking off a couple of clients myself and working it flexibly around our family schedule. I wasn’t happy about this prospect. I loved my career. Fortunately, the ending of my story is a positive one. Evoke Media grew as my family grew and now they are all at school; I have a full-time role and myself back (parents reading this will understand my language choice there!).
However, the story doesn’t always have a happy ending for many. Often at least one parent is forced to reduce their hours or leave the workforce altogether, setting their careers back. This scenario has dozens of consequences, from mental health and confidence issues to loss of talent in the workplace.
We are big believers that providing more support for childcare costs is a critical step in addressing these challenges and ensuring that parents can access quality care and remain in the workforce.
The Spring budget includes a range of measures to support parents, which will help to reduce the financial burden of childcare and enable them to continue their careers, should they wish.
As a women-led business, we are committed to promoting gender equality and supporting our team members in balancing their work and lifestyles. By providing flexible working arrangements, we have attracted and retained a talented and diverse team, which has been critical to our success. Additional financial support from the government further supports parents in having the choice to pursue their lifestyle in the way they want.
What’s your view on the Spring Budget support for working parents? Join the conversation on the LinkedIn post in the comments.
