‘It’s cheaper to not work’: childcare shortage in England puts strain on parents

Three families share their struggles with finding and affording nursery places and childminders

“Before I even went to my first scan, my unborn baby’s name was down on a nursery waiting list,” says Laura Williams, 31. This was her second child and it had taken months to find a nursery spot for her first daughter, forcing her to take time off work. She had put in a request at five months pregnant but the waiting list had been a year long. “That’s crazy, seeing as a pregnancy is only nine months,” she says.

It’s a story that is playing out across England. A shortage of childcare places coupled with the huge costs of nurseries means women are questioning whether they should go back to work.