Social worker returning from mat leave - flexible working request

[tinseltits21]

I am currently on maternity leave from my job as a children's social worker. I would really like to go back part time (4 days per week) or do compressed hours over 4 weeks. I think it is extremely unlikely that I will be granted this but I want to make my flexible working request as robust as possible. I have absolutely no idea where to start with it - what should it look like, how should it be structured and what should I include?

Sorry can’t advise on how to structure the request.
But if you go for 4 days part time just be very careful your caseload is reduced accordingly. It’s not part time enough for them to employ someone else so many people find themselves doing a full time job for part time pay!
My advice would be unless you can go to 3 days then go for compressed hours over 4 days

@ColdinHTKthank you, yes I can imagine being part time and expected to fulfil a full time caseload is not uncommon in social work!

At my company, there is a structured form to fill in. Have you checked that’s not the case for you? It was just a form to fill in what hours you would want to do and the reason why.

I work 80% and yes i probably do have a full time workload, but i have a strong capacity to work and it’s worth the extra money compared to 3 days while still having flexibility to do school pick up.