Why working parents are set up to fail

Georgie Dent’s National Press Club address recently went viral after laying bare the compounding pressures on modern families. Between skyrocketing costs of living, rigid workplace expectations, and an eye-watering gap between school days and work hours, is the current system setting parents up to fail? Subscribe to Guardian Australia on YouTube and hit the bell to see new videos ► https://www.youtube.com/@GuardianAustralia?sub_confirmation=1 Reged Ahmad speaks with CEO of advocacy group The Parenthood, Georgie Dent, to unpack why raising children has become an impossible mathematical equation and how policy reform can fix it. Read more: It costs nearly $37,000 a year to raise two children in Australia, research shows ► https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/23/cost-of-raising-two-children-in-australia-has-risen-134-in-two-decades-study-says?CMP=gdnaus_yt Parenting advocate says family pressures are a ‘policy failure’ ► https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2026/sep/23/parenting-advocate-says-family-pressures-are-a-policy-failure-video?CMP=gdnaus_yt Parenting advocate explains 814-hour parenting shortfall caused by school holidays ► https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2026/sep/23/parenting-advocate-explains-814-hour-parenting-shortfall-caused-by-school-holidays-video?CMP=gdnaus_yt Get the latest news at theguardian.com ► https://www.theguardian.com/au?CMP=gdnaus_yt Support Guardian Australia ► https://support.theguardian.com/contribute?CMP=gdnaus_yt Sign up to Guardian Australia's free daily newsletters, the Morning Mail and Afternoon Update ► https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=gdnaus_yt Find or follow Guardian Australia: Website ► https://theguardian.com/au?CMP=gdnaus_yt Google News ► https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMNTrogswl_a6Aw Instagram ► https://instagram.com/guardianaustralia TikTok ► https://tiktok.com/@guardianaustralia LinkedIn ► https://linkedin.com/company/guardianaustralia Threads ► https://www.threads.net/@guardianaustralia WhatsApp Channels ► https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaBW8Bn6hENlReOC9j0l Facebook ► https://facebook.com/theguardianaustralia Newsletters ► https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=gdnaus_yt Subscribe to the Guardian's other YouTube channels: The Guardian ► https://www.youtube.com/@theGuardian Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@GuardianLive #childcare #costofliving #parenting #theparenthood #georgiedent