Will I have to quit my job?

[KH369]

I only work part time - 2 days a week - and my mum is the primary carer of my son on those days. However she has just yesterday had a bad fall which resulted in her ankle breaking in two places and a seizure and heart attack brought on. Obviously I'm concerned for my mums health but I'm also worried about work. Ive already called them up to say I won't be in this week because of this as I have no other child care option (I work weekends so nursery can't help and other family members just won't help) but with this situation, her heart already being a issue before this event and the likelihood of her being on bed rest for a good month at least I don't know what I can do about work. Is there some sort of leave I could take? That wouldn't affect my pay (too much) or would I just have to resign knowing my boss would most likely take me back in the future. I know my boss will do whatever he can to help me out but I don't want to be messing them around saying I can do this but then I can't if that makes sense. At this time I have no idea the outcome my mum will have so I feel I need to prepare for any and all situations. I don't have many holiday days and don't want to take them all as I need them for things like Christmas etc so I need to know if I could take a leave that won't leave me struggling to pay bills.

You are unlikely to get paid leave unless you are signed off as sick but then you would only get company sick leave up to a max point which should be states in your contract, I think you would get statutory sick pay after that but not sure how much if you're part time. Could you swap to week days for a while and use a nursery? I'd imaging with a bad break, stroke and heart attack tour mum will be unavailable for a few months.

Sorry you're having a hard time and hope your mum gets better soon.

You can ask to take parental leave, but that would be unpaid.

I don't know if things like tax credits go up if your income drops or not.

Can you work from home?

If not can you not sort other child care for the month? Child minder, nursery etc?

Sorry just seen nursery not an option, child minder?

Do you have a partner?

You are only entitled to unpaid emergency leave although you could also apply for unpaid parental leave for a week.
I would get on the phone to local childminders also try nanny agencies for an emergency nanny or if you work weekends then a babysitter.
Don't quit your job you have lots of childcare options to explore.

Other than holiday there isn't any paid leave you'd be entitled to, no. But if paying the bills is a concern then it seems a bit drastic to be considering quitting your job!

I would suggest taking paid holiday for a couple of weeks while you sort out alternative childcare. If your boss is generally supportive he/she might even let you 'borrow' from next year's holiday entitlement if necessary. Otherwise you can look at taking some unpaid leave if you haven't got childcare sorted by then. It sounds unlikely your mum will be a viable long-term regular childcare option at least for quite a while so I would suggest focusing your energies on alternatives. Some childminders do Saturdays, for example.

Advertise? Ask a local parent if you could pay them to have your child too?

Thanks for the advise, I was thinking of looking into getting a childminder but it's the cost of it, wouldn't make sense to go to work just to pay someone to watch my son as I'd basically be working for nothing, my partner can't help as he's self employed so works a lot of weekends, usually get the odd Sunday out of him and nursery need at least 4 weeks notice to change days/time - he literally starts tomorrow doing 5 hours over three days so I would have to change it to 2 eight hour days however that means I would have to start/finish work early and won't hit my weekly contract hours as there's no one (family/friends) who live near other than mum who could take him to and from. My colleague has just told me about a division in the company who can give support and advise so I'll give them a ring later and see what I can do, I'll only miss one day this week as partner has said he'll stay home the other day as he's not mad busy until next week so one that day I can have a sit down with my manager and discuss with him my situation/ concerns. If I end up taking unpaid leave, partner will just have to put his prices up!

Would it not be better to make alternative childcare provision and keep working. You might get some unpaid emergency leave to sort this out but realistically your dm is unlikely to be fit to look after your ds for sometime. That way you keep your hand in. How old is he? Could you get any free early years hours?

Well yes but working just to pay childcare would only be temporary. Part time jobs are hard to find you'd be mad to quit. And you have not spoken to any babysitter or childminders yet re costs.

Could your partner maybe put in more hours during the week and commit to every Sunday, while your mum is out of action? That way, you only need to find and pay for one day's childcare a week.

It's not ideal but I worked whilst paying childcare and earned peanuts myself. We called it our childcare years! Now everyone is in school etc and we have company childcare vouchers we reep that short time where I made no money.

Thank you for all your responses, I'm going to look into finding a child minder in my area. I can't ask my partner to work more during the week as he already works 7am-7pm most nights and in the middle of taking over his dad's business too (if that wasn't happening now or had happened sooner it probably would be feasible for him to stay home weekends but he's just too busy and as the main earner we will need him to keep at it to compensate the time off I'm having for the next few weeks until I can sort out child care) again thanks for the advise you've helped me look at it more rationally

Are there any reliable local teenagers who'd babysit on a Saturday/Sunday for you? Just whilst you sort out something more sustainable.