Should I use child’s disability in flexible working request

[Morph2lcfc]

Child is 11 and pre covid I’d always worked in office and my mum did childcare. Been working from home since March 2020 now due to go back. Work want everyone back in full time, I’d like to do half and half wfh and office which I think they may be receptive to but don’t know for sure till I request. I have an autistic child who is high functioning but severe enough to be in sn school. Mum is getting older and he is getting older so she’s struggling more with him. He’s going to a new school after summer which is too far for my mum to do pick ups and drop offs at. Me and dp can do this between us but it willl be tiring as I also have a 45 min each way commute. I am going to put in for flexible working requesting wfh 2 days office 2 days which I think I have enough to argue a good case that it benefits the business. I’ve never mentioned ds’s autism to people at work, I suppose because life was so hard outside it was nice to have a place where autism/school struggles/sen wasn’t the only topic of conversation. Now I am wondering if I should mention ds’s disability in my request, I’m really not a person that plays the disability card so reluctant but friend was telling me I should

@5zeds

If you already start late to drop him off and dh already picks him up, why does being at home benefit work or you?

It’s nothing to do with ds it’s because I have a 45 min commute each way. If I don’t do the commute I tend to work I would be driving so that benefits work, it benefits me as it’s less stressful as I’m really busy at work so can get more done. That’s why I asked if I should mention ds’s disability in the op as it’s really nothing to do with that but people in real life were saying I should

I wouldn’t mention it particularly then. I think your answer highlights exactly the focus of your request should be. It’s a great reason on its own.

This was me I went back work, I never got round to requesting flexible working and have managed, my boss even talked me up from working my contracted 4 days to working 5 days with one day from home, he’s also let me do odd days from home under the radar cus he don’t mind me doing but doesn’t want to set a presedent. My mum had now become more infirmed and we have no support,we can cover term time but I need to request flexible working for when my son off school. Term time only