Less than one-third of female employees received any financial or other childcare-related support after returning to work from maternity leave last year, according to a survey by the Department of Trade and Industry.
And less than 20% of women actually used the financial or other childcare support available to them.
Around 20% of employers still do not make provisions for female members of staff to use the telephone for family reasons, and less than 60% of women felt they were able to make personal calls for family reasons at work.
Less than 60% took time off for emergencies in 2005, compared with about 40% in 2002, the survey of 1,333 maternity leavers showed.
However, almost all women returning to work after having a baby last year were entitled to take time off for emergencies, compared with just 60% of women in 2002.
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About half of the respondents said their employers allowed them to take a career break for family reasons but less than 10% actually used the time they were given.
