A government-backed digital hub designed to help businesses support working parents of young children launched yesterday, with regional roadshows expected to engage up to 2,000 businesses during 2026 and 2027.
Business Backs Families is delivered by the charity ReGenerate and supported by the Department for Education (DfE) and philanthropic funder Ethos Foundation. The hub brings together practical ideas, examples from businesses and ready-to-use resources for employers ranging from small firms with a handful of staff to large companies with established HR teams.
An estimated 2.5 million parents of children under five are in the UK workforce, according to the organisers.
The organisers say the hub does not advocate a single approach, offering ideas that employers can adapt to their workforce, resources and commercial needs rather than prescribed policies.
Among the ideas set out is a phased return for parents coming back from leave, working 80 per cent of their normal hours for 90 per cent of their pay until their child turns two.
A second, “Banked Family Hours”, would give working parents up to two additional hours each month for family commitments such as medical appointments or school events.
A third, an “expanded caregiver definition”, would extend family-related support to kinship carers and others with caring responsibilities.
The organisers say there will be a particular focus on small and medium-sized businesses, to show that supporting working parents does not necessarily require expensive new policies or substantial changes to existing working arrangements.
Research cited by ReGenerate suggests that businesses offering flexible working and family-friendly policies report increased employee satisfaction (94 per cent), higher productivity (65 per cent) and stronger engagement (72 per cent). The charity’s early childhood development report, published in June 2025, attributes those figures to a 2023 Working Families study.
ReGenerate also cites a figure that 60 per cent of working parents say they would consider changing jobs for better parental benefits. Separate polling reported by Business Matters found 18 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds had left a job because of parental leave policies.
Alongside the hub, Business Backs Families will run regional roadshows during 2026 and 2027, at which employers can hear from other businesses and share experiences. Regional engagement will begin in the North West, including Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region, before rolling out nationally.
Local authorities across the country are backing the initiative, and five business networks, including the British Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses and the CIPD, are supporting efforts to engage employers.
Early Education Minister Paul Waugh said: “Business Backs Families will help employers take practical steps to support working parents, while attracting and retaining talented people.”
He linked the scheme to the government’s expansion of childcare and the rollout of Best Start Family Hubs, saying it “will help give parents reassurance that their employer will help them balance work and family life”.
Mariella Frostrup, the government’s Women’s Employment Ambassador, said: “Support during pregnancy, parental leave and the return to work can shape a woman’s career for years to come. Employers who get this right keep the skills and experience they have invested in and attract new talent.”
Ed Boyd, chief executive of ReGenerate, said: “What’s exciting is that many of the things that help working parents can also be good for business. Whether it’s retaining experienced staff, improving productivity, or building a more committed workforce, employers and families can both benefit.”
Jo Farmer, managing partner at law firm Lewis Silkin, said: “We don’t just have an equal parental leave policy; we advocate for it. When people take that time with their children in the early years, they come back stronger and more loyal.”
Fiona Howarth, founder of Octopus Electric Vehicles, said: “The early years fly by, and they’re a real juggle. Backing parents through them isn’t a perk, it’s how you keep great people.”
Asha Musoni, chief people officer at the CBI, said: “Supporting parents through the early years keeps experienced talent in work, and that’s good for families and good for growth.”
Amy Ingham
Amy Ingham is a reporter at Business Matters, covering UK business news with a focus on breaking news, business policy, late payments and insolvency. She joined the magazine in 2026 after completing the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism at Harlow College's journalism school. Her recent reporting includes British Steel's nationalisation and its impact on SME suppliers, the decline in late payments by large firms, and Insolvency Service director disqualifications. Reach her at aingham@cbmeg.co.uk.
