Please take our new survey - £100 voucher to be won

[JustineBMumsnet]

Since March this year, families across the UK have been coping with an unprecedented set of circumstances that have affected all aspects of their lives. From mental health and household money to children’s schooling and maternity care, COVID-19 has left almost nothing untouched.

Mumsnet HQ wants to find out a bit more about how women have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. We will use the data from this survey to explain to politicians what life has been like for women and for families over the past nine months - and to press for change where you tell us you think it’s necessary. (If you’re a dad, though, please do fill it in too - your input would still be really useful.)

This survey is open to all Mumsnet users in the UK. Please click here to complete it.

All who complete the survey (it’s quite long - apologies - please stick with it!) will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

I started answering your questions but I have binned it. The survey is badly designed and contains leading questions. The question about mental health was very poor, with too few possible responses.

Thanks for the feedback Sertchgi123, we've made some tweaks to the survey with it in mind.

I got to Q11. It's a leading question. Non of the 3 possible options represent my opinion. Clearly children in state schools did not have an advantage over state schools during the pandemic. I feel this question is pushing me to tick that children in fee paying schools have an advantage of those educated in state schools.

The question about why my business income has dropped was poor - I have been ill with long Covid and so unable do as much - but affected by Covid health wise wasn’t on there, nor was an “other” box, so I had to pick an option that wasn’t entirely true.

It also asked about me losing my job but nothing about my partner so it looked as though our income is largely unaffected whereas it is incomparable to pre Covid and has been a source of huge worry. If you’re asking about the effects of Covid on women, the job loss of the major breadwinner they live with, where applicable, is huge. The fact I work does not mean I am unaffected by DH’s finances.

Done x

Another who gave up.

It is just full of leading questions. Not open to any different thoughts at all.

Terribly written.

Done.

Done

Given up, the survey kept returning me to questions I'd already answered.

Done

I’m sticking with it but the questions seem so slanted ie the government should support women to stay in work - why not support parents to stay in work?

And how to answer “I think the government plans will lead to woman losing work”, yes, I also think they will lead to men losing work too.

The effects of this pandemic will be brutal for many. But the entire survey is assuming from the first that women are more adversely affected.

It may be true, of course, but isn’t a good way to frame clear results.

Sorry, I may be back, this is feedback as I go along!

My husband really stepped up during the lockdown and took on more than his fair share of childcare and housework etc (normally split 50/50 , more like 80/20 during COVID) to allow me to focus on my primary care role. I think the assumptions in some of these questions are unhelpful. Framing needs to be more about the roles ascribed to women and the types of jobs rather than simply using gender as the proxy. The survey could have been worded/ scripted a lot better.

I feel this survey is aimed at mothers and women, this should be more diverse as we are male couple with a daughter therefore we do not feel inclusive.

done

Thanks MNHQ, hopefully a useful exercise.

Yep, I agree that there is a slant towards asking the government to support childcare. It didn't cover my own situation very well on a number of counts.

Personally, I think that we should be asking the government to make schools more Covid safe, as an issue that affects women in very many ways, directly and indirectly.

Done

Done.

As a single parent, I felt that the questions relating to the effects of Covid on the employment of me and 'my partner' SHOULD have had a way to apply to me. I have been affected, while he has not been. I have absolutely been the default parent far more than ever (shared care officially). I have struggled, while he has been largely unimpeded by lockdowns. But I had to go with N/A, because he is not my partner.

Completed but agree this is a poorly designed survey (particularly the question about fee paying/state schools). A totally missed opportunity here MNHQ over some very important issues. Why not get advice on survey design next time? You have so many academic members it wouldn't be hard to locate people with relevant expertise and produce something of real value

I was keen to answer but will not participate in research which is so heavily biased and leading. These questions would not pass any ethical approval in real world research.

I tried, but there were several questions where I was unable to answer as an option that applied to me was not there. I also felt many of the questions were leading and biased.
Overall, I felt it was very badly written.

I agree with other posters this survey is poorly designed with leading questions and incomplete response options. For example impact on work - so many negative responses but no opportunity to report positive impacts - which I've experienced!