Adoption Leave

[richmondp]

Hi,

First time to use this forum!

I'm a teacher in a state school and very close to being matched with a child to adopt. I was reading through my local authority adoption papaerwork and have quite a few questions. I was hoping that someone from Mumsnet has more experience of this than me.

I've been working in the borough for over 5 years with continued service, but the terms for adoption leave are significantly worse than maternity leave. I am entitled to statutory maternity leave (about £110 p/w), rather than a normal teacher's conditions of full-pay then 1/2 pay before the £110 p/w.

Also, it is possible that the child will be placed with my partner and I at the start of the long school holidays which will mean I don't even get the whole of my anual salary (even though I have worked all the school weeks!) as adioption leave starts from the date a child is placed. If I had given birth to a child on this date, my maternity leave wouldn't start until the 1st September.

Who should I contact for further clarification?

Hopefully someone can help!

:)

I would guess the HR department of local authority, as they are your employers. If you think the condition are unfair you might want to put your case in writing

You might want to post this in employment as well, or at least post a link to this thread

Hi richmondp, that must be very exciting - good luck!

Think you might find the ACAS website helpful - they are the experts on employment law (the organisation that arbritrates between employers and employees) and also the Equalities Commission.

Congratulations! I have found that we do get a bit of a raw deal on the adoption leave front. I did argue with my employer with some success first time round, so it is worth a go.