Returnship Programs with Childcare: The New Differentiator for Employers

The conversation around women returning to work after maternity leave is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It has become a business-critical priority. Across industries, HR leaders are grappling with the twin challenges of retaining experienced women talent and closing leadership gaps. And while mentorship programs, flexible hours, and hybrid work policies have all helped, one lever is standing out more clearly than ever: childcare built into returnship programs.

Why Mothers Don’t Return — And What It Costs

For many women, the barrier to resuming work after maternity leave isn’t a lack of ambition, skill, or opportunity. It’s logistics. Reliable childcare is often the missing piece that tips the scales. 

• A 2023 Deloitte study revealed that 43% of women leave their jobs after having children, citing childcare and family responsibilities as the primary reason. 

• McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2022 found that 1 in 3 women consider downshifting their careers or exiting the workforce altogether after becoming mothers. 

• In India, the World Bank estimates female labor force participation at just 26%, with motherhood and caregiving being major contributors to attrition. 

For companies, this loss is steep. When mid-career women exit, organizations not only lose institutional knowledge but also erode the very pipeline of talent that feeds future leadership roles. Replacing a mid-career professional can cost 150–200% of their annual salary (SHRM estimate). Retention, therefore, is not just a moral imperative — it’s a financial one. 

What Returnship Programs Do Right

Returnship programs — structured pathways for mothers re-entering the workforce — are gaining traction globally. They provide training refreshers, mentorship, and phased re-entry to help women ease back into their roles with confidence. 

But here’s the catch: many returnship programs still miss the most fundamental barrier — childcare support. Without solving for who cares for the baby while the mother returns to work, returnships risk becoming well-intentioned but underutilized initiatives. 

That’s why progressive companies are embedding childcare partnerships directly into their returnship design. Whether through on-site childcare, subsidized daycare partnerships, or tie-ups with trusted providers, organizations are addressing the number one question every mother has: “Who will look after my child while I work?” 

The Business Case For Childcare-Backed Returnships 

When childcare is integrated, returnship programs create a triple win — for mothers, employers, and society at large.

1. Higher Retention and Loyalty

Research by the Center for American Progress shows that companies offering childcare benefits see 30–40% higher retention rates among working parents. Mothers who feel supported are more likely to return and stay.

2. Access to Untapped Talent

Millions of skilled women step away from work post-maternity. Returnships backed by childcare unlock this talent pool, giving companies access to professionals who are already trained, experienced, and eager to rejoin.

3. Stronger Employer Branding

In a competitive talent market, employer brand matters. Organizations offering holistic support for working parents are seen as progressive, inclusive, and employee-first. This resonates not only with women but also with younger generations who increasingly expect family-friendly policies.

4. Leadership Pipeline Impact

Retaining women post-maternity ensures that the leadership pipeline remains diverse. According to McKinsey, companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to achieve above-average profitability. 

Stories of change 

Global best practices already show how powerful childcare-backed returnships can be. For example: 

• Goldman Sachs runs a returnship program that combines re-skilling with flexible childcare support, resulting in one of the highest return-to-work rates in the financial sector. 

• In India, several IT and consulting firms are piloting returnships tied to childcare providers, with early feedback showing higher enrollment and retention compared to programs without childcare support. 

Closer home, companies that partner with professional childcare services like KLAY are seeing tangible outcomes: smoother transitions for mothers, reduced attrition, and stronger employee satisfaction scores.

Beyond Perks — Towards Strategy

It’s time to stop framing childcare as a perk. It’s a strategic investment in workforce continuity. When organizations budget for leadership programs, skilling initiatives, or DEI commitments, childcare needs to be part of the same conversation. 

For mothers, the message is clear: You don’t have to choose between your career and your child. For companies, the return on investment shows up in retention, productivity, and employer brand equity.

Looking ahead

As workplaces evolve post-pandemic, flexibility and family support are no longer differentiators — they’re expectations. What sets employers apart now is how deeply they integrate support structures into the employee lifecycle. Returnship programs with childcare at their core don’t just bring women back — they bring them back with confidence, commitment, and clarity. 

And in a talent landscape where skills are scarce and attrition is expensive, that’s not just good for families. It’s good for business.

📌 PS: At KLAY, we partner with organizations to design childcare-backed returnship programs that fit seamlessly into their HR strategy. If you’d like to explore how this could look for your workforce, let’s start a conversation.