Dr Julia Rouse from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) said the latest ONS figures that show a 34 per cent rise in the number of self-employed women in the UK since 2009, obscure the fact that women who start their own business are unlikely to turn a profit and are hampered by their childcare responsibilities.
According to Dr Rouse, women still only make up a third of the UK’s self-employed, the equivalent of 1.4 million, and the top occupations are childminders, cleaners, carers and hairdressers. The majority of self-employed women earn less than £10,000 a year.
Dr Rouse is a keynote speaker at an event organised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) on 4 November entitled, ‘Developing women’s enterprise to create sustainable communities’.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here