Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Sponsored threads

This topic is for sponsored discussions. If you'd like to run one with us, please email [email protected].

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

MNHQ

Shared Parental Leave: share your views and you could win £300! NOW CLOSED

354 replies

AnnMumsnet · 17/03/2015 09:06

Parents with children due or adopted from 5 April will be among the first to take advantage of Shared Parental Leave. To coincide with its introduction Shared Parental Leave, we have been asked by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills to find out what you think about this new policy for parents.

The team there say "From April 2015, parents will have greater choice and flexibility over how they share the care of their child in the first year of their life. Shared Parental Leave allows working couples share up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay in a way that suits their work and family needs. For example, parents can take time off together or they can tag team, stopping and starting leave and returning to work in between if they wish.
Check your eligibility and how much pay you can get here. We'd love to know what you think about this and how you'd use it for your family."

So, please have a look at the information provided here and let us know on this thread what you think. If you or your partner is pregnant and your baby is due from 5 April do you think you'll use it? Would you have used it when you had your last child if it had been an option? Do you think you will share leave with your partner if you have children in the future? How would it work in your family?

Have a look at the video:

Add your comment by 30 March 2015 at 9am and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of your choice (from a list). Insight T&Cs apply

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

OP posts:
Ethan260908 · 17/03/2015 11:45

Isn't that about time[sic]. Blimey my dad never changed a nappy in the 1970's when I was born. I am now a full time dad and have been since my son was born 6.5 years ago. Congrats to the clever people who orchastrated this whirl wind change to bring themselves up to speed with everyone else current sit rep. The only constant is change as they say.

maryandbuzz1 · 17/03/2015 11:52

It is not something I can do now but I would certainly have considered it if it had been available. My husband would have loved it!

Juzza12 · 17/03/2015 11:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tabbaz123 · 17/03/2015 11:59

I think anything that helps make starting a family easier is a good thing. We are so far behind in this country with regards to shared parental leave and this is certainly a big start. I think the government should also make parents aware of other options they have. For example child benefit options. Usually the mother claims this but there are financial advantages if the father is self-employed and the mother paying her own NI stamp. I am not 100% up to date but I feel we are not often made aware of the full facts and help that is available.

hannonle · 17/03/2015 12:01

I think it's a fab idea and will help lots of families

MakeTeaNotWar · 17/03/2015 12:01

Such a welcome addition to family life. I wish this had been around when I was on at leave - would have improved our lives in every way - professionally and in terms of our relationship too not to mention modelling equal behaviour to the children

ameliabeanie123 · 17/03/2015 12:19

It's a good option for those that want to use it. Not for us though as I breastfed and work from home.

phillie1 · 17/03/2015 12:39

Too late for us, and I'm not sure many would take it up - those 1st few months, I believe, is crucial mum and babe bonding time, especially if you breastfeed

2015isgoingtobeBIG · 17/03/2015 12:46

We qualify for it and would have considered it as we're having twins and would have liked more time with both of us at home. Unfortunately my work (nhs trust) weren't set up to deal with it when I met with them in January and weren't able to tell me how to go about organising it. We eventually decided to just use my husbands annual leave and my accrued annual leave to have some time the two of us at home together with our babies.

ElectroNymph · 17/03/2015 12:47

I think both parents should have equal rights.

hiddenmichelle · 17/03/2015 13:04

Fab - anything that provides famillies with more choice is a winner with me!

Sweetoranges · 17/03/2015 13:08

I am totally in favour of this. It would have benefit everyone and we'd have def made use of it. It could have eased my entering into babyland and it would have given dh an understanding of what it means to care for a baby/child 24/7 .

tinygigolo · 17/03/2015 13:17

Myself and my husband are due our first child in June and we will be taking advantage of the new flexibilities. I think if it hadn't existed it would have put me off having children. I believe firmly in equal division of labour in our marriage and I don't envisage childcare being any different. Too many of my friends took their whole maternity leave themselves and now have children who are entirely reliant on them and partners who don't really know what to do when left alone with a small child.

I don't really understand the financial side of the argument either, my husband earns more than I do but we will still be dividing the leave, it's just another cost of having a child that we'll factor in.

The only stumbling block has been my husband's employer has been surprised that he has put this request in - I think even if legislation is there to ensure that employers allow it, it will take a very long time for it to become the norm.

castleton · 17/03/2015 13:17

I think this is great. Both parents will get time to bond

BellaWella86 · 17/03/2015 13:21

Having recently had a baby, I wouldn't have personally taken up the scheme as my partner is the higher earner. I can see how it could be a huge help to certain families by offering greater flexibility.

LuckyBluie · 17/03/2015 13:33

Too late for me, but we'd have loved to have done this, especially if you can go back to work and then back on leave.

Such a good idea Smile

feefeegabor · 17/03/2015 13:35

It's a good idea but pretty unworkable. Both my hubby and I are self-employed so it wouldn't have helped us in the least.

Emgrace · 17/03/2015 13:40

i think this should have been done a long time ago it should about sharing the time off and bringing up your children together.

asuwere · 17/03/2015 13:45

I'm not planning any more children but even if it was available when I had my children, I wouldn't have used it. I wouldn't like being off work at the same time as DH and it's easier for me to be at home while Bfing.

I don't like that it's being implied you have to be at home full time to bond with your child - not fair to those who have to return to work.

It is a good idea and I'm sure will be very beneficial to many families. My concern would be how easy it would be to coordinate lots of mixed / tag team leave with 2 different employers. DH and I have used flexible working rights in the past so that we could both work part time and avoid the need for childcare and that worked well, although my employer was much more open to it than his.

andywedge · 17/03/2015 13:48

Wish this was around when ours were born although it would be most likely I would have taken hardly any time off but the option would be there

WaxyBean · 17/03/2015 13:57

We had this option when both our children were born as our employer offered it (where both parents were employees). I breastfed and so we didn't use this at all.

As a manager, I'm hoping that there are sufficient notice periods around this to make it business friendly.

JoJoBaldwin · 17/03/2015 13:58

Anything that offers more flexibility and choice.to parents can only be a good thing. I was happy to be the one staying home doing the majority of the childcare but it doesn't suit everyone and there should be accommodations made for more flexible.family life.

libra101 · 17/03/2015 14:04

The concept of shared parental leave is fantastic; it allows both parents the chance to bond with their baby and with both parents doing childcare, helps to reduce typical gender stereotyping.

Shared parental leave wasn't available when I had my two children, but we would definitely have considered, although my salary was much less than my husband's. This might have been a deciding factor.

The main problems of the new laws are reduced salaries and whether parents can afford to take advantage of the flexibility offered.

Also, it could be difficult for businesses, especially smaller businesses where their employees are difficult to replace, even for short periods.

shroney · 17/03/2015 14:05

I think it's a good idea but really depends on a families personal circumstances. My partner and I would have used it if it was available many years ago.

claireblaney123 · 17/03/2015 14:07

I think it is a fantastic Idea i know i would of loved to have used it ,if it was available when my daughter was little. I think its going to help a lot of moms get over post natal depression as i m sure it would of help me if i could of went out & did normal things alot sooner than i had to wait. its a brilliant idea