Working parents | Major study reveals working mothers pushed to breaking point

A growing disconnect between the support working parents need and the support they currently have from employers is revealed by the 2024 Modern Families Index, published by Bright Horizons, with working mothers disproportionately affected.

• Working mothers are impacted the most, with 74% saying they carry the mental load for parenting, compared to 48% of working fathers

• Working mothers feel less able to progress their careers while working flexibly than working fathers do (63% vs 71%)

• 2 in 3 parents take time off due to last-minute childcare arrangements with 49% of parents using annual leave to cover this. Men are more likely to use annual leave (54%) and women are more likely to take unpaid leave (51%)

• 72% of all parents said their employer is supportive of family, but this has dropped by 5 percentage points since 2023. It has always increased in previous years.

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