"I couldn't understand why the most important work of my life, caring for my children and raising them, was considered a waste of my time and education."

Virginia Tapscott's story is emblematic of the prevailing attitudes to parenting and motherhood in today's society. But in our haste to get women back into the workforce, we've created a culture that sees raising children as a distraction, and the knock-on effect is falling birth rates that have major long-term economic problems.

In her speech at ARC Australia, Virginia discusses what she sees as the change we need in our attitudes, and evaluates the effectiveness of a variety of pro-natal strategies.