New career working Christmas as single parent

This is absolute nonsense. No employer in the UK can force anyone with 5 kids to work at Christmas, when no childcare is available. I once asked the legal helpline provided by insurance policy if a staff member refusing to work a shift because her child’s school was closed, had the legal right to do this. She gave me three weeks’ notice of the school closure, which was ample time to arrange emergency childcare. I was told in no uncertain terms that parents have the right to take unpaid leave anytime they have issues with childcare and that I would probably be taken to an employment tribunal if I refused to give the employee the day off.

As a small employer, it’s very frustrating because employees abuse this right all the time and it’s difficult and expensive to cover staff absences (I own a nursery). But I doubt the NHS would care.

Would you still earn enough if you became a school nurse? Could be very handy during the school hols with 5 kids if so.

@fitzwilliamdarcy

I think that it might be Dobson v Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

I think that it went to Appeal and that the original decision was overturned.

https://www.mfmac.com/insights/employment/childcare-disparity-and-flexible-working-employer-needs-sometimes-prevail/

I agree with other posters who have suggested a nursing job either clinic based or possibly community. I've nursed for over 15 years and didn't get many Christmas days off when I worked on the wards. My old jobs used to split the days between all the staff so that everyone had to work some of the Christmas period ie. Christmas early or Christmas late or Christmas night , Boxing day early/ late/night... Then the next year it was rotated. There was no concession for those with children, it was just part and parcel of nursing.

I gave up nursing when I became a Lp .. it sucks sorry

To look after 5 children under 12 for 12 hour shifts? The OP could work long day Saturday and Long day Sunday one week.

It would need to be a properly paid nanny (which would probably cost more than one band 5 nurse wage)

Christmas is a contentious issue everywhere in nursing.

I think it isn't realistic to think you'll be able to have Christmas off every year unless you take a job that doesn't work bank holidays.

So, either look for a job that suits or see if there's a workable solution - could a relative take them for Christmas alternate years? Any chance of their df stepping up?

What about an au pair or foreign student coming to live at yours? Long shot and might not be practical depending on size of your house but one of my friends friends has three young kids, worked as truck driver so got in a foreign au pair to help out. She only had a three bedroom house so no idea how she made it work so well but she did it for well over a year.

That’s what I can’t get my head round because then you are discriminating against people with no child care needs

I'd look at outpatients or somewhere that doesn't open bank hols.

I think you'll really struggle otherwise.

Not working your share over xmas and ny will not go down well at all.

A MNetter on a thread about flexible working said there’d been an employment law tribunal case where the tribunal had found an employer to be discriminating against a woman for not allowing her to have only day time and non-bank holiday shifts, even if it meant that all the other employees had to do her share.

I asked for the name of the case as I couldn’t find it and it felt like it’d been pretty important for a lot of people but they never replied!

I think you need to look at a 9-5 job. Community, outpatients, day surgery?, etc. Paid childcare will cost you a fortune for evenings and weekends let alone Christmas.

In your position, I'd be looking for a community job. I see though that that won't be possible for this Christmas, but I'd still try and get into community ASAP. Have a word with your band 7 as soon as you start the job and explain your predicament. Tell them what you can work over the Christmas/New Year period and be as flexible as possible.

Nursing, especially inpatient, is notorious for being family unfriendly, despite the NHS's family friendly ethos. It's ridiculous, especially seeing as nursing is female dominated (around 90% of nurses are female) yet females have the bulk of the caring responsibilities, whether that be for children or other relatives. Not how it should be of course, but it tends to be that way. I know of people who would come back into nursing if the hours were more flexible to fit in with young familes and other caring responsibilities.

That's a brilliant idea!

My husband left me as a newly qualified nurse and pregnant so I understand. Ex never saw dc so it was me and payed childcare. I did community nursing and ended up staying longer than I should because it worked with childcare/had an understanding team. I compromised with my team and worked extra 'other' bank holidays and weekends over the year. I also then moved into continuing health care which was Monday to Friday and no bank holidays. My colleague moved into school nursing for similar reasons.
My career progress was slowed down but it was the only way I could actually work.

Well done, OP.
I'd look at community or practice nursing.
Depending on your area, they do take newly qualifieds.
I went into nursing home care as a nqn and negotiated fixed shifts (which did not fall on Xmas my first few years there.)

Many wards don't do long shifts over Christmas. We certainly don't.

You gave the right to request
but just because you request it doesn’t n it granted

but also it’s the impacts on others is it fair that someone has to work Christmas because someone because kids

Well done and be proud you have achieved this with 5kids and doing it alone

Paid child age via a nanny is prob your only choice

I'm a mn. I don't work Xmas day but I do work Boxing Day night for double pay

And seems many of my clients happy to pay it as I've worked 26/12 for the last 5/6yrs

So there are nannies who will work but it will obv cost you a lot !!!

Prob way more than you are being paid

Not sure if uou are on uc - but they pay towards childcare costs - not sure if capped at 2 - but will get some money towards childcare

I think you're incredibly naive if you think it will make any kind of difference in the real world.

People can request what they like, they can demand whatever pay they like, but they're not entitled to it by any means - the new law doesn't change any of that.

Congratulations, what a massive achievement. So sorry to hear about ex DH. What a scumbag.

I don’t want to sound negative. I just do not know how you are going to make it work, with 5 under 12 years of age, one having additional needs. With limited support around you.

These children hardly see their dad due to his own fault but it sounds like they will hardly now see their mum either whilst you work shifts and are now worrying about it being over Christmas too. I would put myself in my children’s shoes and think about that. I know you need to work to earn a living and this is just my opinion, I know others may say I’m completely wrong. Just feel a bit bad that they will be spending their time with baby sitters, childminders and in holiday clubs and missing out on time with you.

It won't change a thing.

Ah right I miss understood her post, she was saying.it was law and everyone had the right to be heard about it rather than its still the.same, my mistake

It means that employers would need to offer an incentive to work this day that's equal to the value (& demand) people place on it. That value is high, & employers have got away for too long expecting people to give up their Christmas day for peanuts. Everyone has a price.

Not the trusts I have worked for. People have had the same rights on rota for the sh* t shifts no matter of children or not.

Quite a few of child free nurses did Christmas (and the other sh*t days) for the extra money.