Hardship & bias | Working parents are in crisis - here's what HR can do about it

Working parents are currently in a state of crisis. From rising childcare costs, to the challenges of balancing work and home life, or caring for sick children, parents are facing an array of constant challenges.

This begs the question, what can we do as HR practitioners to ease this burden on working parents, make a career a viable option for those who feel that being a parent has limited their progression, and retain a huge demographic of talent that may just slip through our fingers?

The rising cost of child care

To answer this question, we first must be aware of what we’re up against. Let’s set the scene by looking into the financial burden working parents face. According to data from the Child Poverty Action Group, the current cost of having a child within the UK totals an astronomical £160,000 to £190,000 (£160,692 for couples and £193,801 for lone parents).

And, this number is rising at an alarming rate due to the cost-of-living crisis. Openaccess research states that the cost of raising a child has increased by 21% in the past four years, with childcare making a huge dent in family budgets.