Returning to Work: Flexible Careers for a Balanced Life

Best Jobs for Mums Returning to Work: Flexible Careers for a Balanced Life

Introduction

Returning to work after having children can be one of the most challenging transitions for mothers. While many women want to resume their careers, the lack of affordable, high-quality childcare remains the biggest barrier. In fact, the cost and availability of childcare in the UK directly impact employment rates, career progression, and financial independence for mothers. This article explores the best jobs for mums going back to work, focusing on jobs you can bring your kid to, and how innovative childcare solutions like Hatching Dragons' workplace nursery scheme are helping to bridge the gap.

Why Do So Many Mums Struggle to Return to Work?

The UK has one of the most expensive childcare systems in the world, with full-time nursery costs averaging £22,000 per year for children under two in London. For many working mothers, the economic viability of returning to work becomes questionable when childcare costs consume a significant portion of their earnings.

Key Statistics on Mothers and Work

• More than 1.7 million women in the UK are prevented from working due to childcare costs (ONS).
• 43% of mothers work part-time, compared to just 14% of fathers, due to childcare and family responsibilities (The Guardian).
• 75% of working mothers say childcare costs prevent them from taking on more hours or higher-paying jobs (TUC).
• The median gross household income in London is £74,000, but with nursery costs averaging £22,256 per year, childcare alone can consume nearly 30% of net household income (Trust for London).

Geographic Challenges

Childcare availability varies significantly depending on location. Rural areas often lack sufficient nursery spaces, while in London and other major cities, demand far outstrips supply, driving up prices. These regional disparities further limit working mothers' choices and flexibility in the job market.

Best Jobs for Mums Going Back to Work

When considering jobs that allow for work-life balance, flexibility is key. Below are some of the best jobs for mums returning to work, focusing on roles that offer remote work, part-time hours, or the ability to bring children along.

Set up your Own Business. 

Entrepreneurial mums have earned the moniker Mumpreneurs for changing the narrative of what a working mother, with all of the professional expertise and experience that she's developed prior to parenthood, can achieve post parenthood. There is no reason why your options have to be return to work, on the same terms, or become a house bound parent. Many use it as an opportunity to build what they've always wanted to build - a business of their own.

Some opt for a home-based business, leveraging commercial e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopify and Etsy to sell products on their own terms and timeframes at home. Others move happily into consultancy work, often drawing on their commercial and operational expertise and contact networks generated through their corporate careers to sell their services back to their old employers, but on better pay and hours. Indeed, with the increases in Labour's tax rises for employers and employees alike in the most recent budget, the only real winners appeared to be the self-employed

Health and Wellbeing Coach / Executive Coach

Roles in fitness, nutrition, and mental health coaching have surged in demand. And working parents / Mums can set their own schedules and even involve their children in activities like baby yoga or family fitness coaching. But executive coaching can pay as much as £1000 per hour, depending on your experience and expertise and so offers those who are more advanced in their careers with the perfect opportunity to provide their perspective to the next generation of executives who need a steering hand from those with experience. 

Join or Build a Start Up

As gender equality and DEI becomes increasingly part of the overall corporate strategy, some start ups and companies are increasingly looking at ways to break the mould and establish businesses that put their people and their needs first. Incubators like Tech Stars, Entrepreneur First and Y Combinator and other platforms all have active DEI programmes that sponsor more experienced entrepreneurs balance their parenting and entrepreneurial journies

Set up a Nursery

Or you could do what our Founder, Cenn, did and retrain to establish your own nursery school for your own children. Setting up schools are very capitally intensive operations - you will need deep pockets, a lot of patience and more time than you think to focus on engineering and educational provision that focusses on quality above all else, but when you get through it, you'll be able to see your children every day and be with them every day as your school (and they) mature(s). 

Why not book in a visit at one of our schools to see what he did for yourself?

Retrain as a Teacher

Teach First was set up to take those with industry experience and retrain them to form part of the teaching body that supports primary and secondary school children achieve their full potential. Doing so allows you to work to the school timetable your children will eventually, post primary, attend, meaning that 38 weeks of the year, 30 hours a week, your working schedule will dovetail with theirs, allowing you breaks during all half terms and school holidays in line with their own breaks. If you choose to retrain as a nursery teacher, you can do so to become part of the teaching body at your child's nursery school, although many nurseries and schools employ policies to restrict parents from working with their own children

The Role of Workplace Nursery Schemes in Supporting Working Mums

While flexible jobs help many mums return to work, the root issue remains the lack of affordable childcare. One solution gaining traction is the workplace nursery scheme, where employers partner with nurseries like Hatching Dragons to provide dedicated childcare facilities on-site or nearby ,making it the only benefit that pays for itself

How the Workplace Nursery Scheme Works

• Employers partner with nurseries to set up childcare facilities on-site or within close proximity to the office.
• Parents receive tax-free childcare, eliminating the financial burden of external nurseries.
• Improved employee retention: Research by the Family and Childcare Trust found that workplace nurseries improve employee productivity and reduce absenteeism (familyandchildcaretrust.org).
• Enhanced gender equality: Studies show that mothers with access to employer-supported childcare return to work sooner and at higher wages (Resolution Foundation).

A Solution for Employers and Mums

Hatching Dragons is actively working with progressive employers to develop workplace nursery schemes, ensuring that childcare is no longer a barrier to career progression for mothers.

For Working Mums:

If you're looking for jobs you can bring your kid to or flexible careers that fit around your family life, consider asking your employer about workplace nursery schemes.

For Employers:

If your company struggles with staff retention, absenteeism, or gender diversity, a workplace nursery partnership could be the solution. Contact Hatching Dragons to explore how we can create a childcare facility tailored to your workforce’s needs.

Get in touch today to find out more:

Conclusion

For many mothers, returning to work should be an exciting new chapter, not an insurmountable challenge. With flexible job options and innovative childcare solutions, we can reshape the workforce to be more inclusive and supportive of working parents. Whether you’re a mum looking for the best jobs going back to work or an employer seeking to unlock the full potential of your workforce, solutions like workplace nursery schemes can be a game-changer for families and businesses alike.