career break straight after mat leave?

[emy72]

Hi,
I have 4 children (5 and under) and currently still on maternity leave. Having thought through all the options, I think that what I would really love to do, is to have another year, ideally 2 years off, so that when I go back to work, 3 of my children are in school and my baby would be at least 2 or 3 years old. However, I don't know how reluctant my employer would be if I went back and said I wanted a career break - anybody has successfully requested this? Considering all my options at the moment!

I work for the civil service and requested a career break when I was pregnant with DD1.
I had to state my reasons for wanting/needing it (no family nearby, DH works odd shifts so would need full time childcare and I lived 50 miles from the office to be near DH's work so would have been incredibly difficult)
I took 6 months paid maternity leave and then started my career break, it was originally for 3 years but I extended it to 5 after I got pregnant with DD2 so that I would only need full time care for one of them as DD1 would be in full time school by then.. Am currently in Year 4.

My bosses were very obliging, they agreed that my reasons were sound and said the reasons they accept for a career break or unpaid special leave (whihc is what it is) were things like 'domestic care of an individual unabel to do it' so long term sickness of a family member or childcare is a perfect reason.

HTH

I have 4 children and went back to work after first 3

ds1 (6yo) back to work pt when he was 13 mths

dd & ds2 (2.11yo) back to work pt when they were 12mths

then ds3 (13mths) came and I have just finished mat leave and am currently on annual leave and starting a career break at end of month for 3.5 years (til ds3 starts school)

He has tipped the balance of juggling school runs etc and childcare costs and working and running a house. DH works shifts and I am shattered.

I am also a civil servant and they were also very obliging.

Hope you can sort something out

A career break sounds nice Do private employers consider this?

Aleesmum, it is nice but it has downsides as well, namely the glaring gap in your CV when you were home, which a lot of employers look askance at (am looking for work, sort of)
You can work part time or be self employed according to the terms of mine, btu I am not unemployed, so can't claim any benefits. So I am not earning anything, which is a bit of a downer, plus I am so out of touch with what is happening at work, even though i was goiung in one day a monht to 'Keep In Touch' (which isn't a requirement anymore) it would take weeks for me to be able to start to do my old job again.

I am glad I did it as it works for us, but it isn't all peachy!

yes Jack you are so right, I am planning on going back to collecge when dc4 is at preschool (2yrs time) and retraining in something different.

But yes not unemployed but no pay and going back to a lot of jobs after a break isn't straight forward

I'm aiming to do this after dc2 when that happens. My organisation is public sector but no longer civil service but we still hang on to some old CS perks... I am hoping to take mat leave then 5 years career break till dc are at school. Of course it all depends on whether work is open to the idea but that's my ideal solution. As far as I understand, it is possible to take on another job while on a career break so my options will be completely open.