Childcare no longer stands in the way of mothers who want to work

One in five mothers who do not work or who have a part-time job want to work for more hours a week. Their reason for not doing so is hardly ever a shortage of suitable childcare. A more important reason is that they had not been able to find a job with the hours they wanted.

One third of unemployed mothers want to work

There were 1.5 million mothers with children younger than 13 years in the Netherlands in 2007. More than half of them worked part-time; nearly 10 percent had a full-time job. Of the one in three mothers who did not work, more than one third did want to. Furthermore, more than 10 percent of mothers with a part-time job wanted to work more hours a week.

Mothers who want to work, or to work longer hours, by labour market position

Jobs with longer hours not always available

Many mothers have not yet been able to fulfil their wish for longer hours because they haven’t been able to find a job with these hours. This share was 30 percent in 2007; in 2005 it was 40 percent. For mothers in part-time jobs, in particular, this is an impediment.

Main reason for not working, or not working longer hours, by labour market position

Childcare shortage prevents 10 percent of mothers from working more

A shortage of suitable, i.e. affordable or good quality, childcare was a reason for only 10 percent of mothers not to start work or not to work for more hours. This percentage has not changed since 2005. The high costs are most often reported as a problem with respect to childcare.

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