returning to work can i have some advice

[emy1]

hi
i could really do with some advice i have been a maternity leave for nearly a year and am due back in jan my childminder has told me she can only do 2 days a week on an early shift my normal working are 6-2 one week them 2-10 and then back to 6-2 and so on
i sent a letter to work explaining this and they have told me i have to go back and do normal hours no part time i have explained i have no childcare and in not so many words thats my problem i dont know what to do i have contacted the union but they dont seem to be helping.

how can i expect to go back to work without childcare and how do they expect me to leave two small children who have been with me all year and just leave them with a childminder 5 days a week........

have a look here they
have to consider your request and give valid reasons as to why they can't do it. Have a look at the dti site for guidance. There's also info on the going back to work site try this

emy1 hope this doesn't come across as cruel and heartless but childcare is not your employer's responsibility and tbh can't think of many jobs where working 2 days every second week would be acceptable.
Think you need to think about what sort of hours you want to work, see if there are any jobs out there that fit those times and find a new childminder or nursery. Alternatively be a stay at home mum.

hi cab

sorry think you may have misunderstood my message
i wanted to work 2 days every week not every 2 weeks, till feb then 4 days and full time in march these are the hours the company have given to employees in the past.

i did find your comments a but heartless as i am fully aware it is not there problem but after 14 years service you would have thought they might have looked in to it for me first.

cab- childcare is not her employers responsibility but they do have to accommodate emy's request for flexible working to enable her to look after her children

hi have you looked around for any other childminders that can offer you a better than 6-2pm 2days a week

it may not been the employers responsiblty to provide childcare but the gov should help with encoraging better childcare for us to acess

wish you luck

thank you for all your advice and support

great news they have given me the hours i wanted

thanks again

They don't actually have to accommodate the request. But, they do have to consider it. Best to put it in writing a force a formal response sooner rather than later.

However, it may be that you need to arrange alternative childcare. I think changes in childcare are no fun, but part of being a working parent.

Perhaps you could find a second childminder to use only at the times your current one is unavailable. That way you could keep the current one (assuming you like her and don't want to remove her from your kids' lives).

Does your company have a valid business reason for why they need you at those hours. You like if you worked at a sandwich shop and wanted to work evening (when there is little market for selling sandwiches) that request probably couldn't be accommodated, understandably.