March 10th 2020

Talk is cheap, the cost of childcare isn’t: A quarter of parents in the marketing industry say their earnings don’t cover childcare costs

Research from Pregnant Then Screwed has highlighted the crippling economic pressure facing parents returning to work in the marketing industry with children under three.

Nicola Kemp

Editorial Director Creativebrief

By sector, the creative industries face a significant wage gap reflected by the percentage of parents who say their earnings don’t cover costs or are completely used on childcare.

In the publishing industry over half (54%) of parents faced this challenge, compared with 28% of parents in media and a quarter in marketing. The research goes some way in explaining the large percentage of mothers who exit the industry after having children. An exodus of talent that is no doubt intensified by the cost of childcare and the historic lack of flexibility which has accompanied jobs in the creative industries.

The situation is exacerbated in the capital which has the highest cost of childcare across the country at an average of just under £74. A figure that, when added to rising commuting costs, makes work in the creative industries in the capital unsustainable on a low salary.

35.5%: of those that return to work only just break even or make a financial loss due to the cost of childcare

61.7%: of those that return to work either work fewer hours, have changed jobs due or stopped working due to childcare costs

£73.97: the average cost of paid for childcare for under 3s in London

Joeli Brearley, Founder of Pregnant Then Screwed said, “The childcare system is not working for parents and we know it’s not working for providers. If we are to change the landscape for women, and parents, we need to provide properly subsidised childcare from 9 months old. The cost of Early years childcare, from when a parent goes back to work and is off SMP to three years old when some children get 30 free hours, is punishing. Only 10% of respondents told us they had significant surplus after childcare costs, with some 35.5% of those that return to work saying their earnings don't cover costs or are completely used on childcare.”

She continued: “8% of those who responded have not returned to work due to childcare costs, and for those who have, 47.2% work fewer hours, 18.1% work more hours and 11.2% have had to change jobs because of the cost. The cost is catastrophic for all, whether you’re a cleaner, teacher, or a lawyer and our case studies demonstrate it is not just a subset of society that is suffering but all, and regardless of location.”

If we are to change the landscape for women, and parents, we need to provide properly subsidised childcare from 9 months old.
Joeli Brearley

Rising costs of childcare come in the midst of a significant gender pay gap in the creative industries. An economic inequality which all too often equates to women taking a step back from the industry.

For while the number of column inches and panels events discussing diversity have increased exponentially, diversity in creative leadership continues to lag.

With data from Creative Equals showing that 12% of women in the creative industries plan to leave within the next two years, addressing the cost of childcare and looking at ways of reducing that expense such as flexible working should be a business imperative.

Meet Claire and Holly

How the cost of childcare pushes women out of the creative industries is placed into stark reality by these two real-life stories:

Clare, previously worked part time in media:

I have two children. I received no funding with my first, older child due to nursery top up fees. My youngest is about to turn three, I am broke, in debt and barely making ends meet and feel like I am gasping for air. I work two jobs. Childcare from 9 months would have changed my life.

Holly, previously worked in theatre:

I have one child, my daughter Dawn who is 19 months old. Financially it wasn’t viable to go back to work; there wasn’t going to be a good work/life balance for me. My husband is also on call to an oil refinery plant one week every month. This could have meant that while I was doing a late shift at work that he could have been asked to go into his work and we would have struggled for emergency late night care for Dawn.

My shifts would have been 10am-6pm one week then 3pm-11pm the next week. The nursery closes at 6pm and would have been a 30-minute walk.

My previous workplace was a prestigious theatre in the West Midlands and two unions ended up getting involved because the back to work/job share meetings were so stressful and it was hard to get my manager to understand childcare issues.

My husband and I are both from Scotland and have no family around. Dawn attends nursery one day a week. It’s £207 a month for four days. I feel guilty sometimes that I put her in nursery but I’m learning to drive and use my Fridays for batch cooking and self-care.