"A report last year highlighted the extreme pressures facing the modern British family, which was described as 'struggling, tired, stressed and under pressure'.

During a survey, participants were asked if they agreed with the statement: 'In an ideal world, one parent should stay home with the children.'

More than 80 per cent of parents of all ages said yes.

The report, from the consultancy Britain Thinks, revealed the devastating impact on  family life of working parents.

Researchers said: 'Mums often say they would have liked to have spent more time at home with their children in their younger years.'

It found 'a yearning for traditional family values', which many feel have disappeared, saying the 'ideal' family should have a mother and a father.

One mother was quoted in the report saying: 'I felt really guilty when I had to go back to work. You'll never get those early years back.'"

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