time off to look after sick child

[Millenniumbug]

What's the law on time off, paid/unpaid leave and the right to use paid holiday to look after an ill child eg 2 days with a tummy bug?

The Working Families Charity web site is very good for answering these type of questions. here is their fact sheet on time off

I seems that you are not automatically entitled to take holiday without giving notice equivalent to the number of days you need off.

You are entitled to take time off to deal with an unforseen event involving a dependent, but your employer is not obliged to pay you.

You are not entitled to use holiday unless you have enough notice (say a planned operation) that you could choose to book it in the normal way or unless your employer waives the rules about booking.

You are entitled to reasonable 'emergency' leave for care of a dependant. That is unpaid (hence why some people use holiday instead) and it will normally only be a day or two. If, say, your child has chicken pox, you are expected to use the leave to make alternative arrangments and then return to work (although not always possible if you don't have family/friends who can help, and the law is surpisingly silent on that bit ).