More women are leaving behind the conventional workplace to go it alone on the self-employment route in Scotland than in any other part of the UK.

More women are leaving behind the conventional workplace to go it alone on the self-employment route in Scotland than in any other part of the UK.

Figures published yesterday show a 40% increase in females in Scotland who quit routine employment in a bid to do something more enterprising instead.

In total, there are 88,000 self-employed women working north of the border, a rise of 16,000 between the start of the new millennia and 2008. During this period, the rate increased by about twice the national average.

A map of where self-employed women live in the UK shows that most are in rural areas - with the Western Isles of Scotland and Moray bearing some of the highest numbers in the country.

Most go into business in the health and education sectors, which includes childminding, but many also set up hotels and restaurants. A further breakdown of figures shows that Scotland has a high number of female managers and senior officials (23%) who are working for themselves.

The second-highest occupation (16%) for Scottish self-employed women is "personal services" which covers a diverse range of jobs from a croupier to an air hostess to a dental nurse.

The Office for National Statistics said that the role women have in business and their impact on the economy was of "increased interest" to policy makers.

The ONS established that the main reason for women in Scotland choosing to leave behind the stability of a full-time salaried job is to spend more time with their children (32%). Domestic commitments came second and not having the financial need to work was third.

And the highest factor in becoming self-employed, for both men and women, was the chance for change and to become independent.

Gary Clark, head of policy and public affairs at the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said the increase in self-employed workers was good news for the Scottish economy.

He said: Scotland has for quite a while been lagging behind the rest of the UK in terms of entrepreneurship and new business start up, so it is extremely welcome that we see such a radical change in terms of one segment of the population.

"There are a number of reasons that might help explain this. Over the past decade we have seen a move into more flexible working and people are finding a great amount of pressure on their time. Those who are also dealing with the pressure of bringing up the family, particularly with the increasing costs of childcare, are looking at new ways of working."

You could argue that there is no more flexible working than self employment. You are running your own business and making up your own hours."

Not surprisingly, the level of income afforded to those who are working for themselves does fluctuate quite widely. In Scotland, 50% of self-employed women earn less than £10,000 a year and around 7% earn less than £5035 - the level that income tax payments for the self-employed kick in.

Overall in the UK, women who were full-time, self-employed worked, on average, in excess of 44 hours a week, roughly four hours longer than a female in full-time employment.

The average number of hours worked by women who were part-time, self-employed represents two to three days each week.

By comparison, there are 204,000 men working for themselves in Scotland last year. UK-wide figures show that around a third work in building, demolition or earth moving businesses.

Around 5% work in retail and another 5% drive a taxi for a living.

In total, around 4.1 million people in the UK are self-employed, a rise of more than 500,000 between 2000 and 2008.

CASE STUDY:Lari Don

I stopped work when I became a mother 10 years ago. When my younger child started school in August 2007, I considered returning to my previous career in politics or the media, during which I had worked as a press officer for the SNP and a BBC radio producer.

But I knew about the hours those jobs required, and I wanted to pick my kids up from school every day. Also, while being "just" a mum (no-one is just a mum!), I'd had a few short stories published, and started a children's novel.

So my husband and I decided we would give it a year to see if I could make it as a writer, before going back to work.

My first book, First Aid for Fairies and Other Fabled Beasts, was published when Gowan was still in Primary One and shortlisted for the Royal Mail Awards when she was in P2.

I have two books (Wolf Notes, the sequel to First Aid, and a retelling of Tam O'Shanter) coming out this summer.

So the answer to "Can I be a writer?" is (so far): "Yes."

I was lucky, because I didn't have to give up a day job to become a writer. I was earning precisely nothing as a mum, so anything I earn as a writer is more than I was earning two years ago.

And so far the decision to work freelance, using my imagination to make a living, has paid off.

But I have discovered that there is no dream job which would allow me to be a fully committed writer and still be a perfect full- time mother. However, my children love my books, and I still pick them up almost every day.

I wouldn't change a thing. And I'm starting the next book after dropping them off at school tomorrow.
Lari Don's new novel, Wolf Notes, for eight-12 year olds, is published by Floris Books today