Our Why

We believe that every mother has the right to economic independence, dignity, and real choices. Care work is essential work, yet the systems around us still undervalue it. Mothers are consistently pushed out of the labour market not because of ability, but because the structures of work and childcare have never been designed around family life. Mums Hub exists to challenge that. 

Too many mums in Ireland are forced to choose between their children and their independence. While women’s participation in the workforce has grown overall, care responsibilities remain one of the biggest barriers to work. 

• Caring responsibilities are a major barrier to work → Almost 3 in 10 women (29%) cite caring duties as the main reason they are not in paid employment.
  (Family Carers Ireland, “Gender Dimensions of Care”, 2021)

• Lack of flexibility drives women out of jobs → Over 60% of women in Ireland have either left or considered leaving their job due to inflexible work conditions.
  (Flexidus/LinkedIn Report, 2022 via ThinkBusiness.ie)

• Childcare costs are among the highest in Europe. Research shows that for every 10% increase in childcare costs, mothers worked 30 minutes less per week.
  (ESRI/Pobal, 2018) 

• Financial dependency increases vulnerability → More than 1 in 3 women (35%) in Ireland have experienced abuse from a partner, with financial dependence often making it harder to leave.
  (Women’s Aid, Annual Impact Report 2024)

• Domestic abuse is rising → In 2024, there were 46,765 disclosures of domestic abuse made to Women’s Aid the highest on record.
  (Women’s Aid Annual Impact Report, 2024)

• Many mothers fall through the cracks of existing employment supports → Unless registered as full-time jobseekers or single parents, most mothers cannot access state programmes like Community Employment (CE) or Tús. These schemes are designed for people available to work full-time, which automatically excludes mothers who can only work during school hours.
  As a result, thousands of capable women, eager to re-enter the workforce but needing flexibility, are left without access to the same training, work placements, or supports offered to others.
  (Based on Department of Social Protection eligibility criteria for CE and Tús, 2024)
  
  This is not just a social problem, it is a rights issue. Mothers have the right to fair work, equal opportunities, and protection from economic vulnerability. When childcare is unaffordable, when flexible work is unavailable, when women are penalised for caregiving, it reflects a wider structural inequality. Our work is grounded in international human rights standards including CEDAW, the EU Work–Life Balance Directive, and principles of equality and non-discrimination. 

When mums can’t access flexible work, the effects ripple through their families and communities.

• Financial stress at home
  When one parent is locked out of work, families lose income, stability, and often confidence. The Growing Up in Ireland study shows that families experiencing “economic vulnerability”, low income, joblessness, or financial strain, face greater risks to children’s wellbeing and development.
  (Growing Up in Ireland, ESRI/Trinity, 2017)

• Childcare costs limiting opportunities
  Families in Ireland face some of the highest childcare costs in Europe, spending around 12% of disposable household income. For many, the math simply don’t add up, the cost of childcare can cancel out most of a second income, forcing mothers to reduce hours or step away from employment altogether.  
  (Irish Times, 2018)

• Stress and mental health
  Financial pressure and dependency at home take a toll on mental health. International research consistently links parental financial stress to poorer outcomes for children, including emotional wellbeing, physical health, and educational performance. 

• Communities lose out
  When mothers are sidelined, local communities lose more than just workers they lose skills, experience, empathy, and leadership. Instead of contributing fully, many mothers remain underemployed or excluded, not by choice, but because work and family life simply don’t align. 

• The economy loses long-term strength.
  Ireland’s workforce participation may look healthy on paper, but behind the numbers are thousands of capable women unable to contribute. Creating flexible, school-hour jobs would not only empower families but also strengthen local economies, reduce dependency, and increase overall wellbeing. 

• Wellbeing declines.
  Research shows that when mothers are forced out of the workforce due to inflexibility or care barriers, rates of stress, isolation, and financial anxiety rise sharply. Supporting mothers to balance work and family isn’t only a social issue it’s a public health issue.

At Mums Hub, we believe every mother deserves:

Community – supporting one another and growing together.
Dignity – through meaningful, fairly paid work.
Opportunity – to use her skills while being present for her children.

Our Solution is Simple but Powerful

Mums Hub Connections
A growing CV Library where mums from across Ireland can register their skills and availability.
Each mum receives an individual plan identifying local job opportunities, suitable training, or other pathways back to work. This allows us to connect talented, motivated mums directly with employers who value reliability, flexibility, and community.

Upskilling Pathways
We collaborate with local education centers and training providers to link mums with free or low-cost courses that fit within school hours. These opportunities help rebuild confidence, refresh skills, and support a smoother return to meaningful employment.

Community Support
Mums Hub is more than a bridge to employment, it’s a growing network of mothers supporting mothers.
We share resources, celebrate progress, and raise awareness about the need for flexible, family-friendly work in every community.

Policy Advocacy
Our policy work is grounded in international standards such as CEDAW, the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (5, 8, and 10). We advocate for structural solutions: affordable childcare, flexible and school-hours work, protection from discrimination, pension fairness, and economic independence for all mothers. 

Our Vision

Mums Hub is building a future where flexible, family-friendly employment is the norm, not the exception.

Over the next two years, we aim to:

• Employ a growing team of mothers within the Hub.

• Connect hundreds more with school-hour roles through our CV Library.

• Partner with a nationwide network of employers and training providers that value balance, wellbeing, and inclusion.

To ensure long-term sustainability, Mums Hub is developing income-generating social enterprise branches that provide meaningful, creative work for mothers while supporting the organisation’s mission.

Alongside this, we will continue building community care initiatives that help families without local networks access the support they need.

Our broader advocacy goal is to see mothers recognised as part-time jobseekers within the Department of Social Protection, unlocking fair access to employment, training, and progression supports that truly reflect family life in Ireland.

Our vision is a society where caregiving is valued, flexible work is normalized, and no mother is ever forced to choose between her children and her livelihood. We aim to create long-term structural change, not just support individual mums now, but reshape the systems that have held mothers back for generations. 

Mums Hub is more than a project, it’s a movement to rebuild balance, dignity, and opportunity for mothers and families across Ireland.
But real change only happens when communities, employers, and families work together.

If you’re a mum
Join our CV Library and take the first step toward school-hour work that fits your life. You don’t have to choose between your children and your independence, we’ll help you create a plan that works for both.

If you’re an employer or organisation
Partner with us to access reliable, local talent.
You don’t need a full overhaul, even one school-hours or flexible role, or a short pilot project, can show how well flexibility works for both staff and business.
By offering flexible roles, you strengthen your team, improve retention, and support gender equality in your community.
You also align with modern employment standards, including the EU Work–Life Balance Directive, Employment Equality Acts, and ESG expectations.

We can guide you in creating fair, inclusive roles that work for both your organisation and parents.

📧 Email: info@mumshub.ie

If you’re a supporter or advocate
Add your voice. Share our mission, sign our Support Form, and help us show policymakers that flexible, family-friendly work is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.

Every CV submitted, every partnership formed, and every signature collected brings us closer to a future where no mother has to choose between her children and her independence.

Together, we can make work work for mums.