When Dolly had her children, the idea of returning to work felt daunting. The thought of having to combine the challenges of career and family was unfamiliar yet, despite it being the experience of so many millions of women, she struggled to find material to help galvanise and reassure her; and to make her feel that anything was possible.

In this book, Dolly aims to change all of that and provide women with practical advice, as well interweaving her own personal experiences. Told in an empowering and engaging way, The Ladder Down is a gift for the next generation of women taking on the trials, absurdities, challenges and general amusement involved in combining work and motherhood; one that will inspire and celebrate the women taking it on.

Dolly will also combine anecdotal stories, life-hacks and guilt-avoidance strategies from a diverse range of women in a wide variety of industries – from fashion designers to taxi drivers, journalists to actors, lawyers to doctors, bankers, entrepreneurs and restaurateurs – to normalise the potential daily catastrophes in the life of a working mother.

It will also feature serious advice from employers, employment lawyers and health specialists to boost knowledge and confidence; to act as a “ladder down” to the next generation of working women from a generation who have experimented their way to making it work.