Back-Up Care | Managing the School Holiday Juggle

For many working parents, the school holidays are a juggle of conflicting commitments and priorities. Children are home from school for 6 - 8, while at the same time most working parents cannot take leave to cover the entire period resulting in taking on at times a debilitating mental load of how they can do it all.

Bright Horizons Modern Families Index 2024 report reveals that for many parents not enough support is in place and compared to last year, the number of employers willing to extend a supportive arm is waning. Yet, with childcare critical for working parents to continue performing effectively at work, the absence of a solution continues. In 2023, 2 out of 3 working parents needed at least one day off for childcare at short notice while over a third (34%) say caring changes the hours they are available for work.