Many workers pull a sickie to cover childcare crises, says survey
A NEW report by a Rotherham business has found that a third of parents have resorted to taking a sick day from work to help them cope with childcare issues.
A study by Wath-based instantprint discovered that 31 per cent of working parents have used a sick day to deal with childcare issues with 48 per cent saying school holiday childcare costs are financially stressful.
The research also found that 43 per cent of UK workers admit that they have pulled a summer sickie with 27 per cent saying that they have called in sick simply because the weather was too good to miss.
But 58 per cent of respondents said that flexible working actually reduced the temptation to fake a sick day.
The study surveyed 2,000 UK office workers.
The findings suggest that while sunshine tempts workers away from their desks, rising childcare costs and mounting family pressures are creating challenges for working parents during the summer months.
The survey ties in with Pregnant Then Screwed’s State of the Nation Childcare Report which showed that 45.9 per cent of parents have gone into debt or dipped into savings to pay for childcare, while 53 per cent spend more than a quarter of their household income on childcare costs.
Coram’s annual Childcare Survey has revealed that the cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under two exceeds £15,000 per year in some parts of England, with additional holiday club and wraparound care costs adding further pressure to parents and carers.
The instantprint research found that 48 per cent of parents describe summer childcare costs as financially stressful, while 41 per cent worry about how they will cover childcare arrangements throughout the six-week summer break.
Vicki Russell, head of TX at instantprint, said: “While the idea of a summer sickie often raises a smile, our findings suggest there are some serious challenges sitting behind workplace absences, particularly for working parents during school holidays.
“Childcare costs continue to place huge pressure on families, and many employees are juggling work commitments alongside increasingly complex childcare arrangements.
“What stands out from the research is the positive role flexibility can play. When people feel trusted and supported, they’re often better able to balance work and family responsibilities without feeling forced into difficult choices.”