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.

For many employees, these caring responsibilities are putting them under significant and increasing strain due in part to the challenges of finding high-quality, affordable, and available care. Not only is this taking its toll on mental and physical wellbeing, but for many employees it is limiting their career choices and progression. In this article, we explore why it could be time for your organisation to offer next-level support with Back Up Care.

The Back-Up Care Advantage

Employers may be oblivious to the strain that lack of adequate childcare is having to their employees before it is too late and manifests itself in burnout, anxiety, and low productivity.