Last weekend more than 1,000 people gathered on College Green to protest over unaffordable childcare, inflexible working hours and inadequate parental leave. Speakers talk to the crowds about the rising cost of childcare and its lack of availability as waiting lists for nursery places mount up.
Among the speakers were Labour Councillor Nicola Beech, who called for childcare reform and a general election following 12 years of Conservative governments, which she says have left “employment rights in tatters”. Founder of Autism Independence Nura Aabe spoke about the added difficulties faced by parents with children with special educational needs who do not have any after-school provision and if they want it, end up paying a fortune in the private sector.
Kirsty Hammond, a community activist from Hartcliffe took to the stage to highlight the “broken childcare system” that makes claiming government funding for childcare difficult. Bristol Live spoke to some of the mums marching who told us about the difficulties they faced when trying to work while having children.
