‘I’m so much more myself now, coming back to work’ - working class mothers, paid work and childcare.

Childcare and work

Childcare arrangements were generally described very positively, and in particularly
as offering something more for the child than the mothers alone could. Childcare
meant both mother and child could get a break from each other and exposed children
to different and valuable experiences:

Everybody says, ‘Oh, he’s such a happy baby!’ and I think that being with
other children, you know, makes him happy. Not at home looking at my
miserable face. (Diana, three children, black Caribbean, lone mother, pt post
office worker, baby at ft nursery from six months)

Nurseries in particular were considered as both safe and developmental. Mothers
found it reassuring that unlike in home-based childminder settings, more than one
adult carer was present and they described the formal nature of nurseries that involved
inspection reports, activity sheets, defined staff roles, etc. as giving them peace of
mind. Group provision and the presence of peers were seen as encouraging children
to talk and develop effective social skills from an early age:

But I felt that my daughter being with my sister all day she’s not really
learning much as if she was - as she would if she was in a group, you know,
with other kids. (Taysha, one child, black Caribbean, lone mother, ft
administrator, child approx. 15 months when started ft nursery)

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