Business

Back to work: Aussie parents in desperate need of another pair of hands

Posted on by adm
23
Jan

Back to work:

Aussie parents in desperate need of  another pair of hands

  • New research reveals a quarter of Aussie parents are in desperate need of another pair of hands
  • Three in five parents rely on friends and extended family for support, with nearly half not having anyone to babysit for them
  • To help parents navigate returning to work alongside looking after their children, Kiddo is offering advice to families on how to find quality childcare 

The back-to-work rush can be a logistical nightmare for parents of young children, with new research revealing that nearly half (46 %) of Australian parents find balancing work and school holidays a struggle. On top of this, formal childcare can be difficult to secure – leaving parents with little to no options. 

The research by babysitting app, Kiddo reveals nearly half (47%) of parents don’t have a trusted go-to babysitter to help and over three in five (67%) must rely on friends and extended family for support.

With half (51%) of parents only comfortable leaving their children at home once they’re a teenager and a further quarter (27%) in desperate need of another pair of hands, searching for that real-life Mary Poppins has never been more top of mind. 

Natasha D’Arcy, working mum of three, says getting out of the house in general can be difficult, let alone going back to work and having no plan for what to do with the kids.

“Meeting the demands of my family and my work is absolutely exhausting. I already find myself struggling with day-to-day tasks without a second pair of hands – things like bath and bedtime, mowing the lawn, taking out the bins and making lunches are difficult to navigate without that extra support.

“This year I plan on increasing my work hours, and with three kids under ten, it’s going to be a challenge. I know for lots of parents, going back to work while their children are still on school holidays can be extremely stressful, particularly if they don’t have family members such as grandparents, aunties or uncles readily available to lean on for support,” she says.

Not every parent has the luxury to send their children to holiday camps or the flexibility to balance morning school runs with early work meetings. Therefore, it’s imperative that accessible options are readily available for those who need it.

“Parenting is a full-time job in itself, so when we do go back to work, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with prioritising our work life alongside our children’s needs. Without an extra helping hand, we often end up making tough sacrifices and decisions, which is the last thing we want to do as parents.”

Rebecca Dredge, mum of two and founder of Kiddo, understands the struggle of trying to find a trusted person to look after the kids when parents have no other option when returning to work.

“When full-time work and back to school schedules collide, parents can start to become anxious when they don’t have a childcare solution to rely on. I would scroll through endless Facebook groups, call on neighbours and track down friends in a panic to try and find someone who could help me out.

“Whether it be a lack of resources or a lack of a support network, parents often find themselves really stuck for a solution. I founded Kiddo specifically to help parents find that much-needed support, because I struggled with the exact same thing, and I wanted to make it easier for other people,” she says.

With the right support during the school holidays, parents can go to work without feeling stressed, and can trust that their children are in safe, capable hands. 

“For those who are in need of an extra helping hand or on-going care, the app is available to help parents find babysitters, nannies and NDIS carers. To have the opportunity to create something that allows parents to easily connect with support has been incredible to see, and something I wish I had access to earlier in my parenting journey,” she says. 

Kiddo is encouraging parents who are struggling to navigate the back to work rush these school holidays to take that first step to finding a solution. For more information visit https://kiddoapp.com.au/.