Information for Working Parents
Starting a new job or returning to a career when you are a parent can be an exciting and challenging time.
Getting used to balancing the needs of your family and the demands of paid employment can take time.
Having confidence in your childcare arrangements helps.
Don't forget you will have acquired useful new skills by becoming a parent which could include: time management, budget management, negotiation skills and flexibility.
Balancing work and home - The Government is encouraging employers to offer a range of policies to help parents balance the demands of their job with bringing up children.
Employers who provide work-life balance arrangements to help their employees could gain from:
- More loyal staff who don't need to take unauthorised leave
- An increase in the number of staff who return to work after maternity leave
- Experienced and skilled staff staying on after they have children
- Good returns on investment in training staff
- High levels of staff productivity
- Better public image
So discuss your needs with your employer or trade union representative.
Childcare help for employees
By helping you your employer could benefit, your employer could:
- Provide childcare information for you.
- Provide information about paying for childcare and the childcare element within Working Tax Credit.
- Get involved in your local Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership to find out more about childcare plans in the area.
- Buy some childcare places in local childcare services.
- Start up childcare services in partnership with others.
- Provide Childcare Vouchers or childcare allowances to help you pay for childcare
Taking time off work
Sometimes you may need to take time off to be with your children.
- Maternity leave -For information on all maternity rights issues Tel:020 7490 7638
- Parental leave - For information on a range of issues for working parents Tel:020 7253 7234
- Low income families helplineTel: 020 7253 4664
- Fact sheet orderline Tel:020 7490 2414
Flexible work
Sometimes you may need to fit your job around the demands of your family, especially while your children are young, when they are coping with new circumstances or if you have a child with disabilities or particular needs. Here are some options you could discuss with your employer:
- Working part-time or reduced hours. Job-sharing; Term-time working;
- Flexi-time - allowing you to choose your hours within set limits;
- Career break - unpaid time away from your job;
- Sabbatical - paid time away from your job;
- Teleworking - working from home
Regulations that came into effect on 1 July 2000 remove discrimination against part-time workers and increase access to part-time work. This will mean better quality part-time jobs and more choice, which will help parents, women and men, to combine work with family life.
Arranging childcare at short notice
Every parent using childcare finds that there comes a time when emergency childcare could be needed. You could:
- Build up a list of possible childcarers your child knows well - perhaps childminders who are friends with your childminder, for example.
- Reserve some annual leave for emergencies
Further information on the Government's work-life balance campaign can be found at
(With thanks to the Day Care Trust for this information)