The number of women participating in the workforce continues to rise

The number of women participating in the workforce continues to increase, according to the latest employment data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The number of women not in the labour force (NILF) has stabilised in recent years despite continual population growth. This suggests that fewer women are choosing to stay home and care for their children rather than joining the workforce.

Over the past two to three years, the number of work-age women in part- or full-time employment has been increasing. This provides further evidence that a greater proportion of women are participating in the workforce. Prior to 2014, both the percentage of women in part- or full-time work, and the percentage of women NILF was relatively steady despite increasing population growth.

As the number of women in the workforce increases, the demand for childcare services also rises, as additional care is required for children who would otherwise be cared for at home. This increase in demand is likely to affect both children in long day care, and older children requiring after school hours care.

The next release of employment data is expected from the ABS on 24 January 2019.