New mothers 'forced back to work by recession'

Women are cutting short their maternity leave as the recession forces them to return to work earlier than expected, nurseries say.

The industry is seeing an increase in new places being taken up, according to Nursery World, as new mothers feel the pressure to return earlier to work, or change from part-time to full-time working hours.

However, some businesses are seeing this being offset by parents who are withdrawing their children from nurseries altogether after having been made redundant.

The claim follows a Government opinion poll published last week, in which 24% of men and 17% of women said that they thought women on maternity leave should lose their jobs before other workers.

In addition, more than a third of men and one in five women thought part-time workers - most of whom are women - should be among the first to be made redundant.

Last year the Equalities and Human Rights Commission warned that the extension of maternity leave for up to a year could be damaging to women's careers.

Liz Gardiner, policy officer at Working Families, told More Than Business News that the organisation's help line was "picking up a lot of concerns" about discrimination against women going back to work.

This has even included an example of a mother wanting to return early, but being told by her employer she must take the full 52 weeks she had requested.

However, she said families need to look at the bigger picture.

"We urge all families to look at the entire family situation, rather than only thinking about the woman going back to work," Ms Gardiner added.


IMAGE Clara Molden/PA Wire