To think it is possible to improve the life of millions of women in the UK?

[Canwechangeit]

Today I talked to a friend about the precarious (ok, shitty) situation of millions of women in the UK. Mainly, about crap maternity leaves (pay-wise), badly paid paternity leaves, extortionate childcare cost forcing so many women to become SAHM for years and face unemployment or lower paid positions when they want to return to work, making them vulnerable and often dependant on their partner (mostly financially), having no pension (or a very low one) because of the long gap in their cv, and finally ending completely fucked if their partner leaves them (extra points if he refuses to pay maintenance).

So we moaned about it. And moaned. And asked ourselves if it has to be that way.

How would we want to change it?
-fully paid parental leave for both parents (as men are generally better paid than women - another sore point - this might encourage them to take a few months of parental leave and spend some 1:1 time with their children thus encouraging bonding and making them apprwciate the hard work of a SAHP)

• affordable childcare (maybe depending on parents' income, like in France?)
• much better enforcement of child maintenance leading to a stigma on parents wriggling out of payments

Now I do realise that it would cost money, be difficult to introduce etc. But is there support for such an initiative? How doable would such an action be? Would you sign a petition if we started it? What kind of oroblems can you foresee?

I have never done anything like that (I mean never went beyond passionate discussions) and would welcome your thoughts on that. Could we really change things?

Would making the minimum wage a living wage help??

Whilst k don't disagree you must recognise we have some of the best maternity leave and laws protecting jobs in the world- I have a role in a global company where leave is directed by territory- they all long for uk allowances elsewhere, but it's a trade off. I could earn more and be taxed less in say HK but have only 10 weeks leave allowed. I could be in France and have longer off but be so heavily taxed and actually have a very narrow choice of childcare options (outside of major cities) with poor quality vs uk
Every country set up is different
Ask yourself- does any childcare provider make a lot of money from it- not really, its economy of scale or excellent control of finances
I do believe we all need to take more responsibities for our financial commitment to childcare- I have no more kids because I can't afford it, that's not sad that's just how it is!!

By birth many of us are lucky to be born British citizens. I'm proud to be, in part because I'm able to have opinion in the UK and that appears to be something thats becoming rather controversial in many parts of the world.

There's always room for improvement in any system/ society, though. We should keep working to make things even better, because we can. Striving for the next target doesn't mean we should feel despondent in those things we have just we shouldn't be complacent.

I like all flouncing's ideas. In fact we could extend the "student loan" idea even further, and try to pay for all benefits this way. Instead of National Insurance, we could have a benefits loan account to which every benefit we receive is charged, including the cost of health-care and education for our minor children.

Childcare loan is bloody inspired. I'd like it to include full-time students as being eligible, please - I do a (very full-time!!) degree** so need a lot of childcare, but because I don't earn money, I am not counted as "working" so am not eligible for e.g. the 30-hour childcare thing and my hours aren't counted for tax credits.

I would happily sign a petition asking for this idea to be considered.

** no snide comments about being on here please... it's my lunch break from revision!

Children are our future, they should be given every oportunity we can for them to thrive. Carers access to childcare, for what ever reason, is one of these oportunities.

As a student you're in one of those posisitions where over your career you'll no doubt earn above average but before the onset of your career without significant extended family help you can be thrust into near poverty, more so with a young child. It can't help study to do well either not having access to childcare.

Regarding extending a loan to cover benefits, i can see the attraction and would happily add stays at her majestys pleassure to be paid back. There's a balance to be had to ensure we don't add to the situation where the rich get richer and those who begin without are forever indebted and the climb from poverty becomes unobtainable. It could almost end up as a two tier taxation system with those from money being at a significantly bigger advantage.

I think I once read that there's a pyschology of keeping just over 50% of what your earn post taxation and a loan, like with the student loan, would probably feel like a sort of taxation.