In 1995, parents with children under the age of twelve represented just over a quarter of the workforce, 29 per cent of the male workforce and 26 per cent of the female work force. How easy is it for these parents to gain the additional flexibility which may be required to carry out the dual tasks of care and paid work? The author states that the latest data suggest that the answer is still 'not easy' and that the working arrangements available to them differ little from those generally available to all workers.