Women in business: the hurdles

by Kate Pritchard - Monday, 4th February 2008 - (1) comment

Chocolate entrepreneur Claire Burnet has a message for government: “Take childcare seriously. Stop creating ridiculous hurdles for women-owned businesses.”

“The idea that after-school care should be run as charities with parents involved in their administration is utterly ridiculous,” says Burnet, who set up Chococo with husband Andy in 2002.

She says it’s becoming impossible to employ working mums after 3pm because childcare is either poor or non-existent in her local area of Swanage. “Doesn’t the government realise that the working world doesn’t stop at 3pm or during the holidays?

“To add further insult to injury, several of the precious childminders in our area have given up, as they were swamped by legislation. One now works for us packing chocolates!”

She urges the government to give schools the budget to provide reliable after-school cover.

“Help female business owners employ other women full-time.”

Is the government doing enough to support businesswomen? Let's hear your views.

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1 Comments

February 05, 2008 8:14pm
Margaret Heffernan Says:

Sorry to be a contrarian but I don't think childcare is an obstacle to entrepreneurship - in fact, many of the most successful female entrepreneurs I know went that route because it was the ONLY way to combine motherhood and a serious business career. Look at Sweden - tons of fabulous childcare, incredibly low rate of entrepreneurship among women. Look at the US - about the worst of the developed world for childcare and maternity provision and, when it comes to female entrepreneurship, the envy of the world.