It is a problem that affects almost all parents, with three-quarters of mothers and 92 per cent of fathers currently employed.

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But soaring childcare costs and lack of flexibility in many roles means four in ten new parents seek alternative work to fit around their families.

That figure rises to seven in ten for more senior roles.

Growing numbers of parents are also opting to set up their own businesses, including offering child-care to help others stay in work.

Billed as the ultimate family-friendly job, it allows you to look after your own child as well as others in your own home.

Or you can fit it around school hours once your kids are of that age.

Husband and wife Leanne and Darren Hogg run a childminding business in Milton, Cambs.

The couple, both 37, have three kids with a fourth due in November.

Leanne worked in childcare in nurseries and as a nanny, but decided to become a childminder in September 2016 following the birth of her second daughter.

She said: “We just love child-minding. It fits with our life and being a young family as well.

“It offers a degree of flexibility we wouldn’t have if we worked elsewhere. It doesn’t feel like work. The children we care for, we love and treat them just as if they are our own.

Speeding up processes

“Children get the same activities a nursery has, while still being in a home environment.”

Ofsted data shows the number of childminders in England has more than halved over the past ten years, down from 56,200 in March 2013 to 27,900 this year.

So the Government has unveiled a series of measures to encourage more parents to retrain — including speeding up the registration processes, offering a start-up grant of up to £1,200, increased funding rates for free childcare places and encouraging landlords to allow childminders to work from rented properties.

Former Families Minister Claire Coutinho said: “Childminders are an invaluable part of our childcare system. I urge anyone wanting to become a childminder to find out more about the registration process, by contacting Ofsted or a childminder agency.”

Dreading return to work?

DO you get that back-to-school feeling – but when returning to work after a break?

Post-holiday anxiety affects lots of people, but there are strategies for coping.

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Tommy Reynolds of event agency Maximillion, shares his tips . . . 

WRITE DOWN YOUR WORRIES: On the day before you go back to work, dedicate an hour to writing down all of your worries for the working week. This will help you focus on your biggest issues and consider strategies to overcome anxiety.

STICK WITH A REGULAR SLEEP ROUTINE: Sleeping in over the summer hols can derail your regular pattern. Cultivate a healthy one in the run-up to getting back to work.

BARE MINIMUM MONDAYS: While it is tempting to accomplish as much as possible in the first week, it can cause burnout. Spend longer completing high-priority tasks rather than trying to speed through several tasks in one day.

DIGITAL DETOX ON WEEKENDS: Plan activities to keep you away from a screen.

ASK FOR HELP: Rather than dreading your return, seek support. Consult with co-workers or a manager, or see your GP.

Race for big hols

SEARCHES for employment that is school term only have jumped by up to 70 per cent over the summer, reports online jobs board Indeed.

The most popular positions include school minibus driver, nursery nurse, chef, school occupational therapist and catering assistant.

Bill Richards, Indeed UK & Ireland MD, said: “It’s encouraging to see an increasing number of employers offer term-time-only roles to help parents balance work and childcare.”

Hotel’s flexible for parents

WITH its school-run hours, mentor “buddy” scheme to help mums and dads back to work, and management training, Travelodge is regularly named one of the top employers for parents.

For the start of the new term, the hotel chain is hiring for 450 positions, ranging from housekeeping to management.

Mum-of-three Rachael Robertson is assistant manager at a Travelodge in Edinburgh.

She said: “I applied for my job after seeing in The Sun that Travelodge were offering jobs around the school run. In the course of six years, I have gone from being a stay-at-home mum, who had not worked in several years, to a part-time housekeeper, then being part of the management team.

Apply now at travelodge.co.uk/careers.