To only work very part time?

A fraction of what is needed. The fact majority is having g to be done by others/not done.

When I went very part time it was made clear to me that I would not be able to go for managerial roles as that would impact the rest of the team too much. The company clearly made a mistake there.

But although taking in 4 children is remarkable, the attitude of “it’s the company’s problem” and “my employees could raise it to my bosses instead of me” is not very impressive for a head of role. I would feel some need to contribute to the solution there given you’ve been given an incredibly generous schedule (and I say this as someone with similar hours).

Jesus when did we start thinking that the only type of valid work pattern was full time? Guilt tripping women into working at home and working at work. If there needs to be more staff let management employ more staff, preferably more part time so you and others get a decent quality of life. It’s not on you. It’s on them.

@OneJadeSheep are you the same poster who was agonising over having to give up your job because of fostering? And because you weren't able to fulfil the 4 day week your employer had already agreed?
In which case it's good that your flexible working had been granted to this extent.
However, your colleagues do have a fair point. No way can you line manage 2 days a week term time only (that's just 78 days a year minus holidays and sick days!). If they are having to pick up the slack without extra staff or pay it's not reasonable.
I'm guessing your employer has agreed on compassionate grounds without thinking through the impact and maybe thinking they'd save money in the process. The workload and responsibilities need to be reviewed to be fair and to avoid the ill feeling you're experiencing now.

I too think you are amazing - doing what you are doing for 4 vulnerable children. Your business is clearly trying to support you in agreeing to your flexible working request - but no one including you is happy with the current / resulting situation.

I totally get that you want to keep working for a few hours per week. I actually think work is good for your sanity / as well as pension etc alongside your new family commitments but obviously the office politics / comments is really not ok, when you doing what hours have been agreed by management, but I guess you can also see why your colleagues are frustrated.

What do you actually want here?
Would you like them to recruit a more junior assistant for you?
They may actually be on the same page, but because of employment law, too nervous to say that they think you need help.
This might be a conversation you need to start.

But your role involves management. I think this is again not put in your initial point. Surely your skill set and pay reflects that you are 'head of' and you are involved in line management of others. Surely you are involved in managing any disputes amongst the team, and if these are involving you then you need to pass these concerns on to another manager explaining this 'I have a conflict in my team which involves myself, therefore I do not feel impartial in discussing this. The issue regards my reduced hours and the increased workload for the team. Could a manger from your team please help to resolve this conflict'.
I did initially sympathise until realising you are in a senior position and seem happy to let your team suck it up without trying to take any action yourself in managing their workload.

You’re right.
Your employer agreed.
So it is not your problem.

As a line manager though why aren't you addressing it? Surely you are in a senior role and would have opportunity to raise this 'I have been receiving some negativity regarding my reduced hours from staff. Their concerns are that their workload has increased to compensate. Is there the possibility of employing someone to support for 3 days a week or any other solutions that can be offered to address this shortfall in hours'.

Firstly I think you are bloody amazing!!
Coming from the kinship/fostering side of this. 4 children in foster care, often difficult to keep together, would bring in a decent amount of money and therapuetic support from SS. Kinship carers get very little of anything and it is shocking. In my eyes you should receive the same finances that a non family carer would get. You personally are saving SS /the local authority thousands.
No one who steps up for family members via kinship should be worse off than before they took on the role.
I can understand if you want to keep working and work obviously accepted the hours you requested. Is it a small company ie just that business or are you part of a larger company that you could take the issue higher?

There lies the problem. You have gone from 5 days a week to 2 days a week and the work load has not decreased. Employers are financially stretched, so I am assuming your 3 days are now being covered by your work colleagues? This causes resentment as they are probably feeling ignored. My guess is the gossiping will gradually diminish. And be kind, because your circumstances enable you to reduce your hours, they may not be allowed to do this. We have a support worker who only works 2 days a week and then is often sick. She requests to leave early to go on weekends away and is always trying to swap her days. She is basically not pulling her weight.

So I think what you're doing for your family and your foster children is fantastic. And I agree that your workplace shouldn't be gossiping. But if you're "head of" don't you have a duty to work with your manager and your team to get to a point where there is sufficient cover for your role? If you're doing e.g. 12 hours per week, 39 weeks per year, that's the pro rata equivalent of 1.25 days per week year round. If you take a lunch break then it's probably closer to one day a week. In which case you could do a job share with someone doing 3-4 days a week and the cost to the company would basically be the same as when you were full time. I think if I worked for you, I would expect you to be suggesting this sort of thing and pushing it with more senior staff. That's certainly what I would expect to do in my role.

No it’s not your problem.
Keep doing what you’re doing with your head held high.

Sounds like you really are with a mean bunch of bitches 💐

Every time you ovehear this, say loudly “I can hear you, and I am working the contracted hours I am paid to do”. You’ll need a thick skin and it doesn’t sound like a pleasant work environment, but I can’t imagine you’ll find such a flexible job anywhere else, so worth hanging in there if you can.

So what is your actual question/point of posting on here?

Yes just like the other similar thread that was apparently by a different person.

Sorry my mistake! Quite the coincidence to have an extremely similar story, the same posting style and one of those 3 word user names with the middle word being a shade of green!

Anyway agree with PP (and perhaps you too) that you can’t really do a ‘big job’ with so few hours. I’m sure your absence impacts on others so naturally people will gossip and be rather annoyed with you. I think that would happen in any workplace - certainly does in mine when people claim longterm sickness and everyone else has to mop up their work.

So I think you do have to grow a thicker skin and acknowledge/apologise to your colleagues that your new work pattern likely has an impact. Of course you have a good reason and it is an amazing thing you are doing, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t entitled to feel pissed off. Acknowledging that might help stop the mean angle to the gossiping.

Youre just saying the same thing over & over.

sounding like an AI bot ?

if you are real, what is your actual question?

Couple of other “heads of dept” have posted fairly recently woth similar issues. The second link is a remarkably similar situation (if they managed to badger their employer into agreeing at appeal)…….

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5453723-to-quit-my-job-and-lose-a-ton-of-moneysalary?page=1

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5408319-to-be-annoyed-that-my-employer-wont-let-me-go-part-time

Your management failed in their responsibilities in allowing you to do this. Being unable to redistribute work is a valid reason to reject a FWR and it sounds like there is absolutely no point you being there for so few hours.

I anticipate them making your role redundant when they realise.