The Know Daily - Monday 6 November 2023

_{Read in 4m 56s ∙ Listening to Fred again…}

At this year’s World Cheese Awards, one cheese took the crown for being un-brie-lievable and feta than the rest (excuse the, er, cheesy puns). Out of more than 4,000 entries, a panel of experts, buyers, retailers and food writers named Norway’s Nidelven Blå cheese - a “handmade, semi-solid blue” - the best in the world. Whey to go!

👩‍💻 The “motherhood penalty”

Nearly 250,000 women have quit their jobs due to childcare pressures, according to new research by an equal rights charity.

What’s the story?
One in 10 mothers with under-fours have left their jobs because of difficulties balancing work and childcare, the Fawcett Society has said. The charity also found that more mothers are working than ever before, but face a “motherhood penalty” as their careers aren’t progressing. 

In a survey of 3,000 working parents, conducted jointly with recruitment firm Totaljobs, 41% of mothers said they had turned down a promotion or career development opportunity because they were worried it would not fit with childcare. 37% of working fathers said they had done the same.

Why is this the case?
The report cites a lack of flexible working arrangements and affordable childcare as key factors forcing women to quit their jobs. “Outdated and toxic attitudes around motherhood” also contribute towards women being “stuck in roles that are below their capabilities”, said Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of the Fawcett Society. 

Why is this a big deal?
In addition to holding women back, the charity argues that the failure to employ and promote mothers is impacting the UK economy more broadly. “Right now, the UK simply cannot afford to let these talents go to waste,”  said Olchawski. 

So what should be done to tackle this?
The Fawcett Society has called on the government and businesses to provide more support with childcare, to create “genuinely family-friendly cultures”. “The data clearly shows that flexible working is the most important demand from working parents,” said Olchawski.

Earlier this year, the government announced that it would be expanding free childcare provision for working parents in England. One expert told the BBC that while the policy had been broadly welcomed by childcare providers, it did not address the “real issues” in the sector, such as chronic understaffing.