Flexible working, is definitely a 'family issue' not really a women's issue - although it does predominately impact women at this point in time (but if it is impacting women it is impacting their family too you would think?).

I think overall the real problem is there is still such a perception that more hours = better job getting done - (which is far from the truth) - I am not sure that it really matters why you are part-time (children or no children) but is the fact you aren't there all the time. Most of the time why people can't cope with you not being there all the time - is because they can't be organised enough to make sure things happen along the right time-lines corresponding with your working hours - part-time working involves more planning and thinking ahead (if you aren't there at their beck and call - it is seen as a problem caused by you, not by their time mismanagement). It is like working with offshore companies, there are cost benefits, but there are also then requirements for a specific way of working, and far more organisation and documentation than otherwise required. It is quite odd to me that employers don't actually do a cost-benefit analysis on it, yes they could be unorganized and have you at beck and call all the time but that is actually costing them money (sometimes to me it seems like they think they are paying you full-time for part-time) and maybe for an extra half hour of planning on their part they could save a days wages. It seems ridiculous to me, in my line of work they would rather pay someone for 40 hours a week who only have 3 years experience, rather than pay someone with 10 years of experience for 25 hours a week who can achieve the same amount of work - why they would rather pay an extra 15 hours of wages just to have my bum warming the seat for those extra hours is beyond me.

Another element of it for men and women is it is very difficult to get a job that is considered to be 'beneath' your previous positions. For some people (myself included) - I don't necessarily want to work at the level I have previously at the moment, I have other priorities which take up brain power so I don't want to expend myself to the same lengths as I might have before, for me yes the reason would be children, but there are all sorts of reasons people might want to take up a position that is not at the same level (responsibility, salary etc) as a previous one.