One off child care for 7 week old?

[Rosieposie9]

I'm currently on maternity leave with my 7 week old baby. My work are trying to tell me I have to give evidence at court (police) and despite me telling them it's not possible at the moment they won't take no for an answer and have told me I will just have to sort childcare. Aside from the fact my baby is breastfed and feeds every hour during the day I don't even know how I would go about finding child care for a 7 week old baby on a one off basis? Do nurseries/child minders even take babies this young? I'm not going to need it for more than a day at the most so I can't see anywhere/anyone being willing to do this, I also don't want to leave my baby with someone I don't know. I've told them again for a second time that it's not possible and they've just said it's my problem to sort child careAny suggestions? My family all work so that's not an option either. Is it as easy as they seem to think it is to just snap up some child care for a young baby for a single day?

Due to breastfeeding I believe you do not have to attend court. I would speak to HR and offer to send over your statements and they can pass this onto the relevant parties. You would not want to take baby to court if you are giving evidence against someone. I have had a colleague give my evidence for 2 court cases whilst been on maternity leave.

No I don't get paid for it I get it as an extra rest day when I go back to work in January 2020! And because of that I don't have loads of extra money spare to be paying a nanny etc.

DP used his leave up around the time baby was born so that isn't an option either.

And for the person suggesting I find other ways to feed my baby I hadn't really planned on giving up breastfeeding for a pointless day in court if baby was a bit older maybe but she's 7 weeks...

I suppose you need to work out what is cheaper - nanny or dp taking unpaid leave. These are the only options unless one of your family or friends are willing to take time off for you.

Presumably you will be cited to court as a witness- therefore contact the court and explain(may need support letter from GP) and they will decide if you are excused (they should) and if they will continue in your absence or reschedule. It is not your employer citing you even if they are the police force so it is not for them to comment.

Have you or your supervisor spoken directly to the prosecutor to explain the situation?

Have you tried speaking to witness care/liaison?

How much notice have you been given? I'm sure if you're called less than 35 days beforehand and it falls on a rest day/annual leave etc then you don't have to attend and the CPS have to financially reimburse you if you did.

Contact Witness Care and the OIC, let them know you'll be there with a 7wk old baby in tow and you're breastfeeding. Ask the prosecuting barrister if your evidence can be agreed as you're on maternity leave.

Almost certainly it will be done, but not until the last possible second because courts are super helpful like that.

If you can learn to breastfeed in a sling, do you think your baby would be happy with that?

For a 7 week old it's not unreasonable to have babe in arms while you give your evidence.

They have to make exceptions, not you.
Why don't you call the court and explain this is what you'll have to do in order to give he evidence.

You're on maternity leave, surely they can't MAKE you go to work? Tell them no!

It's the sort of childcare I would do if it occurred on one of my available days. I've cared for babies younger than that but not being on a bottle is going to be an issue. It seems unreasonable to me that your employer is insisting that you go in to work when you are not yet due back and are breastfeeding. I can see though that a court case could hinge on your testimony and cases can't easily be heard at times convenient to everyone - though if your testimony is key then couldn't that have been taken in account when planning when the case would be heard?

Am I missing a trick here?

Isn't the point of maternity leave that you aren't working?

Unfortunately having the baby with me in the court room isn't an option. I'm giving evidence as a police officer against a defendant who isn't likely to take it very well. I last gave evidence for the same case while I was 8 months pregnant and there was not a single person in the court room who would have been able or willing to intervene if the defendant had kicked off. It's not even practical having the baby at court as I'm likely to bump into the defendant in the corridor etc and he knows exactly who I am!

That's crap OP I would take baby with me even into court if no one is available to hold baby when go in. You definitely need to contact the court to see what your rights are. I do know one law is that women are allowed to bf anywhere they need to. In your case if that is in court so be it.

You shouldn't have to take your baby to court.

That's nuts.

When I gave evidence I contacted the court - and I think witness care (can't remember what their proper name was) - I left my dd with an OFSTED registered childminder for the 1 day and the courts paid the cost of it.
She gave me an invoice and I had to send it off to the courts.

But OP is breastfeeding!

As PP said, witness care/police liaison officer is your best bet. They've been really helpful to me in the past. Be firm with them if they're shitty.

For posters saying take the baby to court- there's no way it's safe, as anyone who's had a violent person kick off at court will tell you!

Good luck op, it's really crap of them to put you in that position.

People have made loads of good suggestions on this thread and you don't seem to be positively considering many of them...of course it's a tricky situation and unreasonable but clearly the only option is to speak to the court/ legal team etc.

Is there a colleague who could stand outside the courtroom with the baby until you have given your evidence? If you really have no one that could take a day of annual leave and they can't agree for a colleague to help in advance then I really don't see what else you can do but show up with baby and put them on the spot.

Honestly I would contact the court and just refuse to go. It's not practical, you are on maternity leave and the baby would be at risk if you went. It's a straight up no. If they want to summons you then you can work with that as it happens but I'll bet you they won't.

It's also perfectly acceptable to provide evidence via Skype/video (I have done so before)

I would stand firm and say No (I will imagine the court will be more reasonable than your boss, who is being completely unreasonable if you ask me)

I have done similar work. Not a chance in hell I'd be taking my baby into that setting.

He sounds like a piece of work which makes me think you should go if it's the difference between him getting off or not? Tricky though. I'm breastfeeding a five week old and I can't even nip off for a bath at the moment! You'll have to take the baby with you I guess.

I don't see why OP should be obliged to put her child at risk for this?

Ah that is tricky!

Could they take video evidence instead from you?

I last gave evidence for the same case while I was 8 months pregnant and there was not a single person in the court room who would have been able or willing to intervene if the defendant had kicked off.

Really? No police officers or guards etc that would have intervened if an 8 month pregnant woman was attacked in a court room by a violent man?

This happened to me on mat leave (not a police officer), DD was a bit older can could be left but it was a complete nightmare trying to find childcare.

No one would have her, childminders were full, Sitters.co.uk would only came to your home, nurseries wouldn't do it. DH couldn't take leave. All my family were working.

The witness care people offered to reimburse the cost but in all honesty didn't have much patience for my dilemma just insisted I be there.

Like fuck would I be going to that.