Q. Do women have to hear Parshas Poroh? If they are unable to come to shul because of the care to their young children, should they at least read it from a chumash at home?

A. Many Poskim write that women are exempt from listening to Parshas Parah, even according to the opinions (Tosafos Brochos 13a, Sulchan Aruch O.H. 146: 2 & 685: 7) that maintain it is a mitzva of the Torah for men to read, since the mitzva is on the tzibur or community to procure a Parah Adumah and not on the individuals, as opposed to erasing Amalek’s name. Some also see it as a “mitzvas ase shehazman gramah”, since it serves as a preparation for Pesach, and adding the fact that it can only be done at daytime, turns it into a time sensitive mitzva, that excludes women.
In addition, the Parah Adumah’s purpose is also to atone for the eigel’s sin, and women did not partake on it.
However, Nitei Gavriel Purim 22: 4: n. 6) quotes dissenting minhagim. See also Moadim Uzmanim (2: 168).
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is similar to most Poskim and there is no need for them to come to shul for Parshas Parah, unless they follow a particular established family minchag. There is therefore also no need for them to read the parsha at home.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a