The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has reacted to recent findings that mothers with young children are discriminated against by employers.

Following publication of the findings of the Equality Review, which found that mothers of young children are 45 per cent less likely to find employment than a man, the FPB is calling on the government to adopt a "common sense" approach.

According to the FPB, the additional costs of government initiatives to improve workplace flexibility are creating disincentives and may have the opposite effect to those intended.

"Small businesses are worried about the cost of covering the duties of new mothers," said Victoria Carson, campaigns manager for the FPB.

"Little consideration has been given by the government to assessing the financial impact on smaller business," she added.

The FPB was established in 1977 and represents 25,000 private businesses based in the UK.