More mothers working full-time
The number of mothers working full-time has risen to its highest level in 15 years, official figures show.
According to recent studies British working mothers spend on average one hour 21 minutes a day looking after their families, including meal times Photo: ALAMY
By Louisa Peacock, Jobs Editor 11:30AM BST 31 Mar 2011
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Some 29pc of mothers worked 35 hours a week or more at the end of last year, up from 23pc in 1996, the Office for National Statistics said.
However, a higher number of mothers worked part-time rather than full-time, with 37pc doing so at the end of last year, compared to 38pc in 1996.
Overall, 66pc of mothers are in some form of work, either part or full-time.
The gap between employment rates for mothers and for women with no dependent children has narrowed significantly, the statistics found. In the final quarter of 2010, 66pc of mothers and 67pc of women without dependent children were in work.
In 1996, 61pc of mothers were employed, compared to 67pc for women without dependent children, which includes 16 to 18-year olds in education and anyone under the age of 15.
Since the recession, the employment rate for women without children has fallen back from its peak of 70pc in 2006, driven mainly by a fall in employment for those aged 16 to 24.
ONS statistician Jamie Jenkins said: "Over 15 years the proportion of mothers working part-time hasn't changed much but the number of full-timers has risen markedly, which is what's driving the increase in working mothers."
He added that over the last 15 years, the decline in manufacturing industries and rise in services may have contributed to more women with children going to work. Women were starting to have babies later on in life, in their mid-thirties, he said, meaning they were generally on higher salaries and were less inclined to stop working full-time after childbirth.
Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, said: "The rising proportion of mothers in work over the last 15 years is a ringing endorsement of family-friendly working practices such as better parental leave and pay, and the right to request flexible working.
“The expansion of quality, affordable childcare through Sure Start centres, now under threat due to local government cuts, has also helped parents find work."
The number of working mothers is about 5.3m, up from 4.5m in 1996.
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