Do workplaces really understand working parents?

[survivingoncaffine]

Hi all, first post here so go easy on me 🙂

I’m a single mum to my 8-year-old daughter and have been doing it solo for the past five years. Last year I had to leave my job because childcare just wasn’t workable anymore, my daughter really struggled with after-school club and I had no family to help with pick-ups. Something had to give, and it ended up being work.

That experience really opened my eyes to how hard it can be to combine work and parenting, especially without a support network. Parenting is demanding enough on its own, add work, guilt, and constant juggling, and it’s exhausting. Sometimes it feels like we’re raising the next generation while barely surviving ourselves.

I’m now working on developing training for employers around supporting parents better at work, and I want it to be informed by real experiences rather than assumptions. I’ve put together a short questionnaire (2–3 minutes) to hear from working parents about what’s difficult, what helps, and what workplaces could do better.

If you’re a parent and have a few minutes, I’d really appreciate you filling it in. Totally anonymous and genuinely helpful.

Working Parents Survey

Thank you so much.

TBH I am baffled by this. The majority of people have children. Those people work in workplaces. Some have help/support and some don’t. Some employers are able to offer flexibility and do, many can’t. Supporting working parents isn’t rocket science.

i can’t imagine an employer who could offer flexibility but chooses not to, signing up to your training. Losing valued employees is usually enough of an incentive to think differently, if that’s possible.

millions of people work in jobs where they have to be physically present and levels of cover are required - carers, nurses, teachers, shop workers, hospitality, utilities etc.

I’m sorry you had a difficult experience. I know first hand how difficult it is having young kids and no family support nearby.