There are now more than 7.9 million people working part-time in the UK, 3.3% up on last year's figures, according to government stats.
While many might be quick to point to the tough economy and competitive job market to explain the phenomenon, this isn't the full story. Of those 7.9 million people working part-time, 5.3 million said this was because they didn't want a full-time job.
With the price of childcare rocketing – parents in the UK spend 33% of their net household income on childcare – it may come as no surprise to see the number of people staying at home is on the up. Figures show that there are almost three times as many women working part-time as men.
But how does this affect careers? A recent survey of fathers revealed that those who go part-time worry that it will damage their career prospects and finances. And in research from the Resolution Foundation, 44% of women said they felt they had been forced to take a lower-skilled job because they wanted to work part-time than if they had worked full-time.
So how can those who work part-time – for whatever reason – get the most out of their professional life and still have the flexibility that part-time work offers?
In this advice session, we'll be considering:
• Whether going part-time is the right career move for you
• How to make working part-time work for you
• Your rights as a part-time employee
• The financial implications of working part-time
• Other flexible working options
Taking part in our Q&As is easier than ever. You can create a free Guardian account, or log in using your Twitter or Facebook profiles. Alternatively, you can tweet us on @GuardianCareers or email your questions to Martin Williams.
Our panel
Lisa LaRue runs London-based career consultancy CareerWorx and is a registered career counsellor and work-life coach. She has more than 12 years' experience helping people plan and manage their careers.
Olivia Hill is the head of HR at the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). She has been working in HR for four years and in a part-time capacity for just under one year. AAT is a professional membership body for accounting technicians that awards skills-based accountancy and finance qualifications.
Karen Mattison MBE is the founder of Timewise Jobs which focuses on part-time and flexible work. Timewise Jobs advertises part-time jobs for hundreds of small businesses, as well as well known employers such as Virgin and easyJet. Karen has three sons and works part time.
Leon Walton is a workplace relations expert at Acas, a service that aims to improve organisations and working life through better employment relations.
Sarah Archer is a career coach and co-founder of CareerTree, an organisation that helps people find work they love. Sarah has coached women returners on combining a career and part-time work, and has herself worked part time and in a job share in a senior role.
Sarah-Jane Butler is the co-founder of Parental Choice which provides information and advice on flexible working and childcare. Having worked as a lawyer in the City for over ten years, she founded Parental Choice after the birth of her two children when she realised that she wanted to help other parents find the right balance between work and home life.
Phil Tromans is the operations director at de Poel. He joined the company in 2008 and has over 10 years' experience in the recruitment industry, combined with a commercial background in a FTSE 100 company
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