NEARLY two-thirds of working mums with primary-age children have insufficient childcare to cover the summer holidays, according to the TUC and campaign platform Mother Pukka.

Their joint survey of 36,000 working mothers, published today, found that 76 per cent of single parents were without adequate childcare for the six-week break.

And of the 60 per cent struggling to find care, 18 per cent had used all their annual leave for home schooling during lockdown. A fifth were unable to rely on a network of friends or family, while 13 per cent had no access to school summer clubs. 

Thirteen per cent said they would have to reduce their working hours and a similar proportion said they would have to take unpaid leave.

The TUC called for flexible working to be made a legal right, with 10 days' carer’s leave on full pay for all parents and adequate funding for affordable childcare all year round.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Working mums picked up the lion’s share of caring responsibilities while schools were closed, with many sacrificing hours and pay to do so. 

“But while restrictions may be lifting and ministers talk about us getting back to normal, working mums are still feeling the impact of the pandemic. 

“If ministers don’t act, we risk turning the clock back on generations of progress women have made at work. “

Mother Pukka founder Anna Whitehouse said: “If we are going to recover from this pandemic and ensure the playing field is level for men and women at some point in the future, we need childcare to be part of our infrastructure — as important as roads, railways and signposts.”

The government has been approached for comment.

A TUC and Mother Pukka petition for stronger rights to flexible working is at  https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/stronger-legal-rights-to-flexible-working