Mothers’ employment rates in Australia have increased over recent decades but having a child is still a pivotal event. This report explores some of the diversity in the employment patterns of new mothers. The findings further build the evidence base on mothers’ employment and could be used to inform policy in a range of areas.

Government-funded child care subsidies aim to increase maternal labour force participation and improve access to formal child care. This paper examined the effects of a major child care policy reform implemented in 2018, finding that it had no measurable effect on maternal labour supply and led to a limited increase in formal child care use.

In this working paper, the authors use the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey to show the arrival of children has a large and persistent impact on the gender earnings gap.

This paper estimates New Zealand mothers with children under age three who are not working only because they can’t access childcare may be foregoing $116 million or more of wages each year.

This report provides information about the work, family and care arrangements of employees in Australia’s retail, fast food and warehousing industries.