To think that there are no well paid family friendly careers?

I am 50k FTE after starting a new career post dc. I could earn more in the private sector but have a good pension, holidays & flexi hours.

I only got here by DH helping to support me.

A PP mentioned Non-Executive Director (NED) roles. Depending on what your DH does he may have some contacts for these types of positions- they often invite interest through personal recommendations. Even if he can’t help, you could start with applications to Charities and Non-profits and ease yourself back into work with one of these asking for 2-3 days a month. Would help put more sparkle back into your CV too.

You could also look at Trade Associations - many are based outside London and comms roles are a key part of what they do.

I agree that you need to be pretty senior to then start getting what you want. I am just about to consider going to 0.65 to give me a better work life balance, I’d still be on £58K and would be at home 3 days a week with 24 weeks a year off work.

I agree; there’s almost a snobbishness about the boring jobs outside London that aren’t worth getting out of bed for.

So you want to train in something that pays £50k with part time/flexible working?

If you want to earn that kind of salary you generally need to have been qualified and experienced for a long time

I'm self employed and now employ 8 staff which means I can be very flexible. My dc are in high school now but it was great when they were younger.

BUT I earned very little for a long time, relying on uc top ups as a single parent. I now earn a good salary but it's been a hard slog to get here, but I wouldn't change it

I imagine your fashion design background gives you a unique skill set, so people use your consultancy for those skills. I am not sure PR offers the OP this career route, but I might be wrong.

The idea that you could start again in a new profession, get paid £50K plus and have infinite flexibility is pie in the sky. And a lot of your judgements about careers are just plain wrong. Plenty of experienced teachers earn £50,000 and many teachers earn more than many solicitors earn outside of the big fancy firms. Teaching is not a flexible careers. It is a vocation and it requires retraining and working to gain experience and additional responsibilities, but its certainly not a career to be sniffed at. It also has school holidays and a good pension.

I was a SAHM for 4 years. Prior to that I worked as a fashion designer earning 60k 4 days per week. When my child went to school full time (4.5) I wanted to go back to work. I decided to try a career change went back to uni spend a year studying, loved it but in reality didn't want to start at the bottom on less money and really missed my original career. So I decided to set up a freelance consultancy- i work full time from home and earn around 90k. It's full on and I do travel a fair bit but I love it and i can still do pick up and drop off at school, no wrap around care, work flexible hours.
I think it depends how motivated you are, if you were great in your pr career and could utilise that then I would. Plenty of companies don't want full time employees, but are hiring freelance part time hr etc, is that something you could in pr.
What about a pr service for local businesses - monthly retainer for 4 days a month etc. Make it affordable for them and workable for you?

I think WFH is the biggest benefit when it comes to managing work with children- mainly because you can work right up to pick up time with no lengthy commute (ie finish at 5/5.30 and be a school right after). Plus most companies would be flexible about popping out for an early lunch break for an assembly or something. But unfortunately there has been a massive drive to get people back to offices which has reversed a lot of this set up

I retrained whilst on maternity leave as a software developer and after six years earn six figures and work remotely. However with AI I think this route is not one I’d start out on now.

Have you thought about a management role in a charity? I'm pretty low on the ladder and earn £42k, my manager is on £60K. Our contracts are one or two days in the office. Most charity jobs are based in London which is annoying but a few colleagues have agreed to one day a month when accepting the role. There aren't any benefits and you'll likely have enough work for two people but it is flexible. I don't enjoy my job but it allows me to do pick ups and attend sports day and assemblies.

Since I had children, I work as an Operations Director in the secondary education sector, earn upwards of £70k for term time only, work from home 1 day a week and leave work at 4pm so am home by 4.30.

I have 20 years experience is HR and Finance roles but pivoted to education for the term time only hours. Some independent schools will have marketing roles that may work for you but you would have to work up to a £50k plus salary.

I think YABU to think anyone will walk into a field unqualified, earn £50k off the bat and get the flexibility you desire. That isnt going to happen, you need to either accept the lack of flexibility for a higher salary, or work up to that level and accept a lower salary.

I work in a family friendly job, I am an NHS clinician but currently doing a project, 22.5h a week but I manage my own diary. I earn about £45k pro rate. Before this I worked in the community 22.5 hours spread over school hours.

I do have a husband with a ‘big’ job but he also supports my career. He will do pick ups and drop offs as needed and also does his share of the sickness, sports days etc.

I work in academia as a mid career academic with a FTE salary just over £50k - I have lots of flexibility (am able to work hours that suit me, generally no problem to attend a school event, take time off for an appointment, plan last minute annual leave etc). But like so many options posted by others, you don't walk into this pay level (undergraduate, masters, PhD, and I have around 10 years experience post PhD). Me and my partner share all aspects of family life 50/50 including school pick ups and drop offs, housework, and childcare in holiday periods. We have to use ASC 3 days a week and some holiday cluba. My partner dropped to 4 days a week so that I can also work 4 days a week. We would have a higher family income if he worked full time and I worked 3 days a week but that was never something I would agree to - it's about the long game, I want my own career, financial independence and pension.

To become a psychiatrist she’d have to do
a medical degree and then all the years as a junior doctor. Her children would have left home by the time she’s actually a psychiatrist (or near enough). This is the complete opposite of a family friendly career. Her husband would probably be home more

You do need experience as you can’t get your certification without it. It is however a very flexible career.

@Ritaskitchen

I’m c-suite in a global MNC and think my job is flexible. Certainly more so than most teachers and many low paid jobs judging by threads on here.

i take my DC to school 2-3 mornings per week and pick up twice. I attend most sports day/concerts/recitals etc. I have good flexibility to attend my own dental/medical apts and those of the DC.

I travel a lot, but work around important dates.

It depends on what degree and work record you have . A legal consultant as an example can work easy hours and get paid really well but obviously you need the experience.

If you don't really need the money just do something you enjoy.

There are lots of PR jobs outside London OP!
if you don’t want the pressure of an agency job then look at consulting. Much more flexible around children & lots of demand for your services from SME’s who can’t afford agency rates.

I work 4 days a week 8.30-4, take 10 weeks holiday a year and made 48k for the tax year just completed.

Enhance or Eliminate? How AI Will Likely Change These Jobs | Working Knowledge https://share.google/HB6s2TCIPyKXKMo5X

I'd recommend this. Without wanting to scaremonger, PR/Comms is not an industry with a large future.

@MojoMoon I agree

I feel like my career is pretty family friendly now that I am senior enough to have good people to delegate to and can manage my own diary to some extent. But I definitely need childcare and I can't be at every school event.