Redundancy & body clock - what would you do?

[NewShoesonMonday]

hi, I've been told that I will be made redundant. Am fortunate to have the choice of going July/ August or staying on a project until end December. Have been with company for nearly ten years; package is quite good and I'm trying to keep positive by looking into a career change to teaching.

What I wondered is what you guys would do / if anyone has experience.

Have started to try for dc2 - ds1 is 2 yrs old, currently in workplace nursery.

I think my options are:

Continue to try for dc2, due date would now be oct onwards. really try for a due date jan 11 onwards to coincide with end of contract.

OR, go for change to teaching - do PGCE this september, put off having dc2 (will be 36 this year so bit worried about that)

OR work for current co till end year, be nearly ready to drop and start PGCE next sept 2011.

OR don't change to teaching... any views on how compatible it is with having a family and could I do a PGCE with a 3 1/2 year old and a, say, 8 month old? would do the PGCE locally, DH working full time. Dependent on creche / nursery at local uni.

Have been advised that a graduate teaching programme is not as easy for people without teaching experience. I'm a school governor and in process of getting my classroom experience, so covering that side. I obviously need to make sure it's for me.

Sorry, one more question... does anyone know if a company pays 'company maternity pay' ie the top up to statutory, if you are in their employ at 25 weeks pregnant? I know you get the statutory, guess that would be subject to my contract, right?

Any info v gratefully received.

Sorry, can't really comment on the career options, but re maternity pay:

You will get SMP but you almost certainly won't get company maternity pay. I have never seen a policy where you get it if you have already left. About 90% of policies require you to come back afterwards for at least 3 months (often longer) or repay. You might be able to negotiate something as part of a redundancy package though (depending on the employer)

What Ribena said. Very unlikely that you'd get anything above statutory if you are not in employment. You'd need to check your company's maternity policy. If the reason you won't be in employment is because you are being made redundant it is always possible that they may do something extra for you, you never know.

thanks for the comments both

employer doesn't claw back any of the company maternity pay if you choose to come back; i know that much as asked before i took it first time round, and lots of women don't come back. I wanted to and woudl have had to anyway.

.... hr policy and anything i've found so far is silent with regard to whether company maternity pay applies if you're pregnant when you receive notice of redundancy... would be fab if i did get it and manage to conceive so as paid when off, but that would be a miracle i know. am expecting just the statutory should that route emerge

Hiya funnily (?!) am in the same situation, in the process of being made redundent and thinking of taking a PGCE in primary education. Were you looking at primary too or secondary?

One thing to bare in mind is that applications for 2010 closed in December so you would be looking at 2011 now - however not sure if this is the same for secondary?

Having contacted quite a few prospective uni's they have all asked for between 2-4 weeks classroom experience and say to get your application in by September (as soon as they open) as it's so competitive.

Good luck xxx

What about leaving in the summer, starting PGCE (if not too late to apply) and then ttcing a few months into PGCE? So you could finish your PGCE year and then have the new baby? (Nice and neat)

Good luck