What mothers want is clear: is anyone listening?

Two recent research studies asked women for their views on caregiving responsibilities and work. Do the reports tell the same story? Only up to a point.

The Care Economy: Society’s Engine Room: unwomenuk.org/thecareeconomy/

What Do Mums Want from the Early Years: theotherhalf.uk/what-do-mums-want-report

The care economy is “society’s engine room” and is “an investment, not a cost”. So states the UN Women National Committee UK, which campaigns for “gender equality at all levels, in all areas of society”. In an open letter submitted to the Prime Minister, the organisation paints a dire picture of the care situation in this country:

“We’re facing a growing need for care at all levels of society; care has never been more needed. From infants and children who need nurturing, to young people facing a mental health crisis who require higher levels of support to those who are sick and disabled who are increasingly unsupported by a health and social care system that’s on its knees. Our aging population has only intensified this need, with those in the sandwich generation caring for children and elderly parents all at once.”

So far, so uncontroversial.

“Care is an investment, not a cost. And it’s essential to every member of our society. We need swift and decisive action to transform our care system. Together, we can show the country that we value care and those who provide it.”

Can’t argue with that. They go on to write that:

“Right now, one in four mums are being forced out of the workforce due to a lack of suitable childcare options. And one in four mums are reluctantly reducing their hours to manage childcare responsibilities. The stress of juggling work and care responsibilities is stopping women from taking on full time work or additional shifts.”

And here we are again, back in very familiar territory. While care is to be valued, motherhood is most certainly not. Throughout their report on the care economy, UN Women presents unpaid care for children as a distinctly negative undertaking. Women are “unwilling”, “reluctant” and “compelled” to care for their children and are “restricted” by their caring responsibilities. Participants in the organisation’s survey appear to have been asked if unpaid care was “exhausting”, “lonely” and “a juggle”. They were not asked whether it can be rewarding, pleasurable or life enhancing in any way.

The letter to the Prime Minister states that “the lack of affordable and accessible childcare spaces are the primary reasons why mums of under fives give up work.”  However, this does not follow from the organisation’s own research. Of the 1479 women respondents to their survey, 25% said that they gave up work “unwillingly”, and out of this 25% the main reason was a lack of childcare places. We are left with no information about the remaining 75%, in other words, the vast majority.  The report does not feature women who “willingly” gave up work or ask why some might be willing to do so. Nor does it ask women who did not give up work whether they were “willing” or “unwilling” participants in the labour market, while their children were very young.

In short, this research not only promotes but was designed to promote the well-rehearsed narrative that mothers prefer paid work to caring for their children and that more formal childcare is the answer to the care crisis.  The organisation claims to want to raise the social value and appreciation of care work, at the same time as it presents caring only in terms of forced drudgery, something people will only choose to do for money. (One wonders why UN Women felt the need to write to the Prime Minister, when by all accounts he and his Party are already entirely in agreement with their message.)

Which raises the question, what happens when women are asked open-ended questions? What do mothers say when asked much more broad questions about how they want to spend their time in the early years and what they want from government policy?

The Other Half, a think-tank which aims to carry out “research for practical, workable policy in the interests of women”, has done just that. Their results tell a very different story.

“Mums told us they want family friendly work, more parenting time (not less) with young children, an economy that allows for care, and a village of support.”

Based on responses from 582 mothers, The Other Half report:

·      69% of mums viewed the proposed childcare expansion negatively, and 40% gave it 0 out of 10 on “making me feel listened to and valued as a mother”

·      87% of mums of infants said they wouldn’t want to work more hours - if finances allowed

·      Mums do want to work – on their terms. Only 9% would give up work if money were no issue

·      Mums taking career pauses to care in the early years reported greatest satisfaction with how they spend their time, followed by part time working mothers

The Other Half report identifies five key areas where mothers want change. They expressed the desire for:

·      More time with their children in the crucial and formative early years

·      A modern job market which reflects the needs, availability and talent of mothers

·      An economy that affords a family – with income and housing costs to match

·      The village: rebuilding of informal and formal parenting support communities

·      Mothers and their view being valued: they do not believe that Westminster understands their needs

These findings are consistent with numerous surveys of parents carried out over the last decade. Unfortunately, when parents are actually asked for their opinions (as opposed to being asked to confirm the researchers’ opinions), no one appears to be listening.

Representatives from The Other Half will be at our conference in November. Please come along to discuss their findings, and so much more!