Juggling Motherhood and Career: Finding Trusted Childcare Solutions in the UK

For a long time, parents, and mothers in particular, have been excluded from the workforce due to childcare costs. This leaves our economy lacking the talent and experience that working parents can provide. Only recently have governments started to talk about supporting parents back to work by increasing funding to cover the costs of a childminder or daycare.

Let’s explore what your childcare choices are if you’re looking to return to work. 

The Evolving Role of Mothers in the Workforce

Not all mothers choose to return to work for the same reason. For some, it’s a financial decision to help support their family, or they simply don’t want to be at home singing “Wheels on the Bus” all day. Both reasons are totally viable!

But another reason is that mothers want to get ahead in the career they started before they had children. Juggling a career and parenthood amongst everything else life throws in is a fine art, to say the least. Mothers face daily challenges of being fully present at home whilst bearing the mental load of a hundred other things that their minds consumed that day. Showing up and feeling ready to work on just a few hours of sleep with nothing but caffeine for breakfast.

The physical and mental toll this balance takes on parents can be extremely overwhelming and is one of the biggest reasons why parents search for trusted childcare solutions, like those offered by Nurseries and Schools. Finding a childminder, nanny, daycare, or other childcare choice near you is one way of sharing the load and improving your well-being.

Challenges of Balancing Work and Childcare

First of all, do not for a minute feel guilty for considering sending your child(ren) to daycare. Working parent or not, it’s important to have this time for yourself to consider your choices about returning to work and practicing self-care. 

There are lots of benefits to sending your baby to daycare and in your baby’s first year, one of their developmental milestones is learning that there can be distance between themselves and their parents. They’ll learn that you can walk away and come back. They’ll learn that they can hear you but not see you. Attending daycare can help them through this phase and it’s something they will quickly adapt to, with the help of settling in sessions.

Common Childcare Struggles Faced by Working Mums

In some parts of the UK, parents are adding their newborns to childcare waiting lists and sourcing nannies before they’re old enough to attend! In the hope that when they come of age, there will be a place for them. More and more nurseries and childcare provisions are closing down because of the increased running costs which limits parents' options to find local childcare solutions. 

Other challenges noted by working parents are:

• Limited flexibility in traditional childcare arrangements.

• High costs and long waiting lists at daycare centers.

• Emotional and logistical challenges in finding trustworthy providers.

In recent years, employers have been playing catch up to offer new ways of working that don’t always support working parents. There is still a long way to go in developing new ways of working that support mothers back into the workplace, either in the office, hybrid, or remotely. 

Types of Childcare Solutions for Working Mums

Regardless of your work setup, and the limitations noted above, there are many different types of childcare choices available to parents. When you start searching for options locally or near your workplace, think about what key factors are important to you and your family’s lifestyle. 

Flexible Childcare Options

Consider part-time nurseries, extra-curricular clubs, and school-owned wraparound care provisions. Once you start, the contracts are renewed monthly or half-termly so you’re not committing yourself long-term. If there are no settings in your area that provide this, you could also consider looking into childminders or nannies who can look after your children in your home whilst you work remotely or hybrid.

Childcare Solutions in Your Own Home

Many working parents now opt to hire a nanny or registered childminder to look after their children in their own homes. The childminder can be tasked with school drop-offs and pick-ups, caring for younger children at home during the day, and cooking family meals while parents are commuting home from work. Find the perfect au pair or nanny by starting your personalised search.

Engaging Fathers in Childcare

With shared parental leave, Dads can now take on extended paternity leave and do an equal share with Mum. Workplaces have often (and still do) played down the role of working dads but with the new heightened awareness of what working dads really want in the workplace, the attitudes are slowly evolving to include Dads in the “working parent” title. 

Elliott Rae, founder of Parenting Out Loud, shared his insights with us in this blog: Fatherhood Matters: Elliott Rae and The Dad Book. You can find more resources for Dads on our blog section “Engaging Fathers”.

How to Find Trusted Registered Childminders

Using a trusted childcare provider on Nurseries and Schools will be your first step in researching what type of childcare choices you want to look into. Website providers such as these can help you find tailored solutions, including nannies, au pairs, registered childminders, and daycare settings. They go out of their way to ensure that their listings are fully vetted through their rigorous recruitment services. 

Solutions to Make It Work

Finding the right childcare for your family will not only help you logistically meaning you can return to work, but it will also promote your family’s wellbeing, reduce unnecessary stresses, and positively impact you and your child(ren). Whilst you are progressing in your career and having adult conversations again, the kids will be exploring through play, socialising, and building their self-confidence in a new nurturing setting. 

This is our non-exhaustive list of actions and resources that you can tap into now to create a childcare solution that works for you. 

• Use apps such as “Motion” to create structured weekly routines for you and your family to balance work and family commitments.

• If you are returning to work earlier than planned, consider wearing a Core Relief Support Band to aid your postpartum recovery.

• Share your online calendars with your nanny to help plan ahead.

• Use social media, local WhatsApp groups, and word of mouth to source recommended childcare provisions near you.

• For breastfeeding mums, consider using a Smart Electric Breast Pump for convenience so you can pump even on the busiest of days.

If you’re thinking about how you can continue to breastfeed when you return to work, these resources can help you feel equipped and ready to go. 

• Create a pumping schedule and pump at work

• Best breastfeeding clothes to wear postpartum

• Balancing breastfeeding and pumping upon returning to work

A Solution for Every Family

With lots of different types of childcare choices out there, finding the right childcare for your family is crucial to getting the balance just right. You’ll know when you’ve got it right because everything will slot into place with ease, and everyone is happy to attend. The best place to find childcare is on trusted websites like Nurseries and Schools which have already done lots of the hard work for you!

And remember, with the right support network, everyone can succeed at work and home.