UrbanistasNW:Careers, Kids and Caring Responsibilities Toolkit (DRAFT)

Careers, Kids and Caring Responsibilities Toolkit

DISCLAIMER

This document was produced by the UrbanistasNW group and is only intended to provide guidance and suggestions, from the benefit of the personal experiences of all of the collaborators.

This document is not intended to provide HR policy or information on legislation. We do not claim to be experts in the field. This is intended as a starting point, we would like this conversation to grow and evolve with the input of others.

Please speak to a legal expert should you feel your employment rights are being breached. Several of the charities listed in useful links have handy legal helplines that are free to access.

Finally this document discusses personal issues around pregnancy, miscarriage, IVF and mental health that could be distressing or triggering for some. Please be mindful of your well-being when using this document and look after yourself.

Our hearts go out to anyone who has experienced loss x

INTRODUCTION

As UrbanistasNW group, we have developed this document as a way of supporting both employers and employees in engaging in discussions on subjects that we have identified as being often, difficult and potentially emotionally charged.

The aim is to offer advice that might help in navigating these life changing events.

The document focuses on the following subjects:

01_Lead up to leave

02_Bundle of joy

03_Return to work

04_Juggling the day to day

05_Caring for relatives

06_The difficult times

Chapters 01-04 cover the lifecycle of parenthood, with chapters 05 & 06 looking beyond childcare responsibiities to address other forms of compassionate leave that are often forgotten.

NB: The final section ‘The difficult times’ talks about difficult experiences such as miscarriage and IVF, please only review this chapter if you are comfortable to do so.

This document is only the start of the conversation. See the appendix for additional information and places to find further support and guidance.

We see this document as a work in progress.

We welcome any and all feedback. If you have any comments/ questions/ requests please feel free to get in touch with us at urbanistasnw@gmail.com

08-09

Setting the agenda. LEAVE, KIT DAYS Bundle of joy has arrived. MANAGING STRESS LEVELS, FINANCES

Lead up to leave.

PARENT’S EVENINGS

Juggling the day to day. REVIEWS, COMMUNICATION, NURSING Return to work.

ATTENDING APPOINTMENTS, RESPITE Caring for relatives. MISCARRIAGES, IVF, ADOPTION

The difficult times. 30-33

Glossary of terms. 34-35

Useful links. 36-37

Special thanks.

EXPERIENCES PLEASE CONTACT US Join the conversation.

UrbanistasNW.

WHO WE ARE

We have created a platform for celebrating the work of female architects and designers across the North West. Since forming in 2019, we have organised a series of events to support women within the industry and beyond. These events have shared the same overarching goals of promoting positive female role models, amplifying a diverse range of voices within the profession, and encouraging others to strive for more inclusive, supportive workplace environments.

As the group runs on a not-for-profit basis, we rely on the support and generosity of our friends and sponsors to host our events.

We’d like to thank everyone who has supported us over the past 5 years. We could not have done this without the generous contributions of our collaborators and every person who has stood up for us and inspired the city.

WE ARE A FEMALE LED NETWORK WHO WANT TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN SHAPING OUR CITIES AND ENVIRONMENT TO BE A MORE EQUITABLE, DIVERSE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY”

URBANISTASNW TEAM

FRANCES PHILLIPS

JESS SPENCER

KATHERINE MCMAHON

PAULINA OLSZAK

RACHEL CARTER-JONES

ROXANNE KANDA

“Our aspiration is to shape our environment into a more equitable and diverse arena, creating a professional landscape that reacts to and reflects the successes and challenges we face. Current statistics confirm a lack of diversity, this perpetuates a failure to embrace potential significant opportunities and creativity. We want to sharpen the focus on the NW, shining a light on sources of inspiration that are local to us, while also providing a support system for new generations of professional women to flourish within our industry. We need to have conversations pertinent to us that are less London centric that focus on how we define our own professional and cultural development.”

ANNA MAY

ALICE KAISER

Setting the agenda.

This year UrbanistasNW have decided to focus our attention and efforts on the issue of parental leave, return to work and caring responsibilities. A frequent topic of conversation within our network is the issue of trying to balance caring responsibilities with career progression. It is often felt that there is a lack of support and understanding from decision makers within businesses.

Whilst the way that we live and work has changed significantly in recent years, it feels as though the traditional norms and structure of working in an office is lagging behind. Most businesses in the built environment sector have standard approaches to dealing with maternity leave, caring needs and other life altering events, but how suitable are they and are people aware of the opportunities available to them.

One of our key drivers is developing a more equitable professional landscape. Generally, women do not make the same progress in their careers that men do. 32% of registered architects and only 5% of leaders identify as female

Compared to the fact that women account for 52% of students starting university courses in architecture2

390,000 working mothers experience negative and potentially discriminating treatment at work3 which has a direct impact on the gender pay gap. Women also encounter multiple barriers when trying to have children including lack of access to good quality flexible working. We know that by the time a woman’s first child is 12 years old , her pay is 33% less per hour than a man3

Other caring responsibilities, outside of having children are also overlooked. More than one in four of the adult population in England lives with two or more long-term health conditions4 with mounting pressures on the NHS these needs are more and more likely to be picked up by family and friends. Five million people in England and Wales aged five and over reported providing unpaid care. Providing unpaid care alongside working can have a negative effect on the carer’s health and wellbeing.

These issues impact on opportunities to progress and to be able to access promotions to senior positions. This self fulfilling prophecy means that the senior positions are taken up by people who aren’t impacted in this way and so don’t have the personal experience to bring to the decision making process.

We believe that with the right support structure in place, we can improve the diversity and inclusivity of companies that shape the built environment that impacts us all; hopefully this document offers a positive contribution to this.

We have developed this document alongside feedback from our carers with careers workshop on 20/02/24. Thank you to all that have contributed.

QUOTES FROM WORKSHOPS

GUILT!!

KIT DAYS feeling like you have to prove yourself lack of sleep

References

1. Architects Registration Board. (n.d.). Equality & Diversity Data. [online] https://arb.org.uk/about-arb/ equality-diversity/data/

2. Waite, R. (2021). UCAS data: More women than men start architecture courses in 2021. [online] The Architects’ Journal. Available at: https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/ucas-data-more-womenthan-men-start-architecture-courses-in-2021

3. Pregnant Then Screwed https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/about-maternity-discrimination/

4. Age UK (2023). The State of Health and Care of Older People. [online] Available at: https://www.ageuk. org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/reports-and-briefings/health-wellbeing/age-uk-briefing-state-of-health-and-care-july-2023-abridged-version.pdf.

HOLIDAYS juggling leave with others with children struggle with lack of progressive leadership dealing with concious bias and unconcious bias

PHOTOS FROM WORKSHOPS

Lead up to leave.

APPOINTMENTS, SICKNESS, MANAGING STRESS LEVELS, FINANCES

Sharing the news of your pregnancy with your employer can be a nerve-racking experience for many. Although there are laws in place to protect pregnant workers from discrimination, our research highlighted that many still feel there is a stigma associated with being pregnant in the workplace, with some individuals fearing their role may be reduced or that promotion opportunities might disappear.

Another difficulty that some of those we spoke to have experienced is a lack of understanding or empathy from employers when it comes to pregnancy symptoms. For some individuals, pregnancy can be a breeze. However, there is no ‘one size fits all’ experience of pregnancy symptoms so it’s

Tips for Employers.

• Carry out a Risk Assessment. Once an employee has notified you of their pregnancy, by law you must carry out a risk assessment for their job role and workspace (in the office and/or at home) and make the adjustments you need to keep them safe, including ensuring they have a place to rest. This should be reviewed as the pregnancy progresses.

• Flexible working hours and opportunities to work from home during pregnancy often show a great sense of care and understanding. Some people will suffer from sickness and fatigue at certain stages in pregnancy, and may find they have more energy if their commute is reduced to a few days a week. It is important to remember that every individual experiences pregnancy differently, so listen to your employee to find out how best they can be supported.

• Review current policy around pay for maternity/ paternity/shared parental leave. Ideally this should be reviewed on a regular basis, not just when employees are pregnant.

important to remember the experience of pregnancy will be different for every individual, with some people experiencing symptoms which are severe or debilitating. Where possible, employers should adjust working conditions or hours to limit risks to the employee and their baby.

Good, clear communication between employer and employee is key during the lead up to starting leave. It is a good idea to have regular reviews as the employee’s pregnancy progresses or if there are any changes to their work or workplace. Employees should be made aware of relevant policy and know what to expect when it comes to starting leave and returning to work.

Tips for Employees.

• Give notice for any antenatal appointments and classes. If you are expecting your first child, you’ll have up to 10 antenatal appointments. This reduces to around 7 appointments if you have had a baby before, but you may require more if you develop a medical condition or complications which require the baby to have additional monitoring. If you are the birthing partner, find out if your company allows for paid attendance at appointments. Even if they are not paid, legally you can now accompany your pregnant partner to up to 2 of their antenatal appointments, capped at 6.5 hours per appointment.

• Be open with your employer if there are any areas of your job role you are concerned about carrying out whilst pregnant. It is important not to put yourself or your baby at risk, and to manage your own stress levels.

• You must tell your employer that you are pregnant no later than the 15th week before

• Ensure your employee understands policies around holidays - holiday days (including bank holidays) are still accrued during maternity leave, but must be taken before or after it. This is because you cannot take 2 different types of leave at the same time. Your employee can add holiday to the beginning or end of their maternity leave so that they get holiday pay for that time. Ideally, they will take all their statutory holiday in the holiday year. However, if they’re not able to use it because they’re on maternity leave for all or most of the year, you must allow them to carry it over.

• KIT (‘keeping in touch’) days - these are optional, but if agreed with you and your employee, they can work up to 10 days during their maternity or adoption leave. Explain to staff what these are and what is included for in your policy.

• Discuss the planned start date for maternity/ paternity leave and your employee’s preferred return to work date. Feedback from our workshops showed employees appreciated flexibility on their return to work date, so long as reasonable notice is provided. There is also a possibility these dates may need to be brought forward if the baby arrives before their due date. Bearing this in mind, it’s good to plan for shadowing/handover of projects well in advance.

“What was entitled to was very well written out. When I notified HR that was pregnant I got a letter confirming the leave I can take for scans and various things like that which my pay wouldn’t be deducted for. It’d get classed as antenatal appointments. That was really good, and all my maternity [leave] was clearly drafted out in a letter.”

your baby is due (week 25) to be entitled to paid maternity leave. However, you may wish to tell your employer sooner, particularly if you are struggling with any pregnancy related symptoms.

• Do you want to tell the rest of the team? Discuss with your employer about how you would like to communicate your news to the team.

• Provide evidence. Your midwife will provide you with a MAT B1 form around the time of your 20 week scan. This should be given to your employer as evidence of your Estimated Due Date and to receive maternity/paternity pay.

• Discuss KIT days with your employer so you know what to expect. Find out if they offer these days and what you will be paid for them. You may be paid less than normal depending on what you are doing on these days, but it could be discrimination if your employer pays you less than they normally would for doing the same thing. You must not be paid less than the National Minimum Wage.

• Agree your preferred return to work date. Find out if your employer has any flexibility on this date if closer to the time you feel you would like to adjust it.

• Organise how you will use your accrued holiday.

Bundle of joy has arrived.

LEAVE, KIT DAYS

Having a baby is an amazing, scary, fantastic, exhausting, life changing experience. Whilst on parental leave you take on a different identity to that in your life as a professional. Your focus inevitably shifts. Enjoy this time as much as you can, it’s often hard, but also can be joyful and fulfilling in ways that are unexpected.

If you were able to prepare well you can usually enjoy the start of your leave with little concern over how things are going in the office. Sometimes your pregnancy and/or birth experience can make this less straightforward, so you may wish to spend some time on this early on in your mat leave, so that you can settle any concerns that you might have.

As you get into the middle part of your leave, you may start to think about making contact with work. It is sometimes helpful to re-engage with people who consider you in a different way to how people see you when you are with your baby/babies. Sometimes this can be positive for your self esteem and can be nice to have a change from nursery rhymes and pureeing food!

If you want to organise an official day back at the office, or to return for an event that takes up part of the day or evening, then this can be arranged between you and your employer Employees are entitled to work up to 10 days during their maternity or adoption leave, and up to 20 whilst on shared parental leave . These days are called ‘Keeping In Touch’ days or ‘Shared-Parental-In-Touch’ days. KIT and SPLIT days are optional - both the employee and employer need to agree to them. You should be paid for these days in the same way as other employees and you should agree what this rate will be before the day as it might be offset against any other statutory pay you are receiving. Even if you only work part of the day, this will count as 1 of the days.

Some parents find them beneficial financially, socially or mentally and they can ease the sense of apprehension related to the return to the office. It is best to discuss your options before leave starts and agree how KIT or SPLIT days might be used. Having a point of contact to arrange this with is

important, agree who this will be, depending on the size and nature of your company it could be someone in HR or your line manager.

With the majority of employees of construction/ urban professions working for businesses classified as SMEs, agreements are often done on a 1:1 basis and employers might want to see additional value in the KIT/SPLIT days. Not all companies will see the need for KIT/SPLIT days for you or them, however you should put your case for them if you want them.

There is no pressure to do any KIT/SPLIT days, and you might find it too difficult to organise childcare to allow you to make use of them. Only engage with KIT/SPLIT days if you feel that they will be of benefit to you, they are intended to help parents to feel like they haven’t become completely isolated from their colleagues which might make it difficult to go back to the office.

Most importantly being a new parent can come with various pressures and feelings of guilt related to any new responsibilities or old lifestyles that might be hard to sustain with a baby at home. It is best to feel comfortable with the choices you make.

Tips for Employers.

Tips for Employees.

• Discuss KIT/SPLIT days agreements, including managing expectations of the employee by discussing time, salary, function and location of work.

• Discuss these arrangements over regular intervals with e.g. 3-monthly reviews if required by the employee. Make sure your employee has a preagreed contact person for this.

• Discuss the value of KIT/SPLIT to the team working with the parent on leave, so their time during the day is well understood and utilised whether on projects or during informal catch ups.

• Any technical updates related to programs or office processes could be provided prior to return in the form of KIT/SPLIT days to improve the return to office experience for the employee.

• Consider what tech or equipment the employee will use on their KIT/SPLIT days - especially if someone else is using their old workstation.

• Discuss the expectations on conditions of KIT/ SPLIT pre-leave.

• KIT/SPLIT days can be formal or informal - some offices offer them when the company schedules events, but catching up with colleagues or clients/ contacts or CPDs can be considered.

• The ARB requires any CPD time to be recorded if not during the leave then caught up on in the following registration year. Other construction bodies might have similar clauses in their registration.

• Remember that ‘in touch’ can include checking emails if one is still cc’d to the job files or catching up on archived conversations.

• Offer a review of office processes or other support to senior members of the office - this might be a standalone piece of admin that can bring satisfaction and help the office in the long run.

• KIT/SPLIT days shouldn’t feel like you have to prove yourself before you return - see them as a way to ease the return after a longer or shorter break.

• It is worth remembering the childcare has a settling in period before starting on any basis and will require someone taking a baby for an hour or two. A family strategy is worth discussing before agreeing to return with the employer. You could use the KIT/SPLIT days as a test run for this before you return to work fully after your leave.

• Working from home, online calls or work after hours can be discussed if childcare is difficult to arrange.

Return to work.

REVIEWS, COMMUNICATION, NURSING

At the point of returning to work it is really important to have clear and precise conversations about expectations, constraints and requirements - whether you are the employer or employee.

Childbirth is a life changing event. The birth process can be traumatic and then there is the complete readjustment to life with a new set of circumstances. You have anywhere from 3 months at home with a baby, usually very limited sleep and a lack of ability to operate independently. The return to work can be both exciting and nerve racking. Mothers can be delighted to go back to being called by their own name and regaining their own sense of identity, rather than being addressed as somebody’s mum. However, they probably haven’t enjoyed many full nights of uninterrupted sleep which can make it daunting when thinking about getting through a full day in the office.

There are a lot of emotions and it’s both positive, but also brings guilt and worries about leaving your child in the care of others.

Often children can take time to adjust to their new routines too; frequently catching illnesses or feeling anxious about being away from their parents. The first few months when parents return can be complicated with these issues. They can’t be planned for, so flexibility and understanding in the workplace help to ease the transition.

Returning after having a baby brings a new sense of responsibility, you are now relied upon directly by another human being, this can really sharpen the focus on how you perform in your job. You don’t have as much time available, but you still want to perform well at the same job and might enjoy the social aspect of the work environment. You need to learn to be more efficient and meet your targets and deadlines without the ability to extend your hours ad hoc, which can take some time to adjust to.

For both employer and employee, communication, transparency, trust and flexibility are key, but never more so than when someone is returning to work after maternity leave. This is a crucial time and impacts how valued women feel. The way in which they are reintegrated into the company can affect how the employee feels valued by the company. Employees have the right to return to the same job if they have taken ordinary maternity leave (26 weeks or less), but for those who have taken more, employers should consider returning mothers might have whether they will return to the same job.

In terms of day-to-day practicalities, some mothers will want or need to continue breastfeeding which is supported by the government and if you are the employer, you must make necessary arrangements to support it. This should be accommodated with discretion if possible. Dedicated provision for sterilising any equipment, storing milk and a space to express (ideally not a WC) will help to make this process more efficient and unfussy. Working from home can help to reduce daily preparation, or ease attending childcare for nursing too.

QUOTES FROM WORKSHOPS

“I was told that I couldn’t do my job working parttime”

“I had to work to stay in the game - afraid I wouldn’t be respected if i took a longer break”

“The ‘Mum Guilt’ is real”

“Lack of sleep is hard”

“Trust and communication works both ways”

Tips for Employers.

• Consult HR experts to understand all the legal rights parents are entitled to Leave. Make them clear in your policies and keep your policies updated. Be aware these are going to change.

• Conduct a health and safety assessment must do this by law for employees who tell you in writing that they are pregnant, have given birth within the last 6 months or are breastfeeding

Remember you need to give your office at least 8 weeks notice if you want to change the date you will return from maternity leave.

Set out your intentions clearly to your employer - nursing, flexible working, support needs. Consider using KIT days/accumulated holiday to phase yourself back into work.

• Set out the flexibility parameters clearly so that there is no ambiguity - for example hours, work from home allowances, reviews. Also consider being flexible - setting core hours and having flexible start and finish times to support parents collecting children from childcare.

• KIT days/ accumulated holiday to phase parents back into work

• Arrange a return meeting if possible, to discuss and agree role requirements or a review of the pre-maternity experience. After this, put in regular review meetings (i.e. every month/two months) to discuss how your employee is finding their return.

• Consider a place or a time for mothers to express if required. A toilet is not the most hygienic and pleasant place to be, plus might lack sockets. Cleaning, sterilising and storage of milk will be something concerning the breastfeeding parent. Making it clear in your policy that you are willing to support makes returning to work whilst still nursing much easier. It is a difficult time leaving a child who is still physically dependent on you.

• Be aware that this is a difficult time for most and be sensitive to this.

• Consideration of workload- remember this isn’t forever! Communication is key.

• Consider making a flexible working request or asking to work from home more. This can help with sleep deprivation as well as with managing childcare arrangements. However, you should make sure you understand your employer’s leave policies before you do this. If you reduce your hours your annual leave will also reduce. Consider paternal leave or Shared Parental Leave if additional time off is required.

• Understand your finances - work out whether it may be better to reduce your hours or days when considering nursery/childcare costs. Be clear in communications with your employer around any reduction in days or changing your hours.

• Understand your support network - family/ friends/partners. It can be helpful to be clear with employers if you have no support.

• Understand what allowances your employer will provide if you need to deal with your sick child and what expectations they will have of you. Remember that you have a right to take time off to deal with an emergency involving a dependent, however this does not have to be paid..

hours a week average cost of part-time nursery for children years old 25 <2

=£8,194

£7,210 in 2023 in 2024

hours a week average cost of full-time nursery for children years old 50 <2

=£15,709

£14,030 in 2023 in 2024

Juggling the day to day.

SPORTS DAYS, ASSEMBLIES, SICK DAYS, PARENT’S EVENINGS

When children get to school age the goal posts change again. Having become used to dealing with nursery costs and frequent illnesses, parents embark on a new normal.

Parenting has changed a lot over recent years, expectations on both mothers and fathers are very different to how they were as recently as 15-20 years ago. If you are a mother, you are more likely to try and balance a career whilst also raising children and if you are a father, you may be more likely to be directly involved in childcare than generations before you would previously have been. Most older or more senior staff will have had a different experience of parenting to their more junior or younger colleagues. It is also more likely now that if you are a father, you will take an active part in caring responsibilities, such as being involved in school events, dealing with sick leave and the various emotional and physical issues that impact your children throughout their development.

School hours are usually 9am-3:30pm, and whilst you might find there are wrap-around care options provided by the school, these don’t exist everywhere and the hours can vary. Usually, full time working parents will either need to use before and after school clubs or find a childminder who offers drop off and pick up services - all things which generally aren’t free. Some are fortunate enough to have grandparents who live locally and are willing and able to provide assistance with caring for children.

School holidays add up to around 12 weeks a year: 6 weeks in the summer and then 1-2 weeks at Christmas, Easter and half term holidays. If you have more than one child and they are at different schools, remember that their holiday weeks can differ. There are holiday clubs that can offer cover, but this can be costly and the hours that they cover are often limited. As a result, parents will often split their annual leave to ensure that they can manage the cover between them. Many parents who we spoke to in our research explained that this was a big issue for their famIly. Often parents can’t take holidays together which can put pressure on people’s relationships.

“ “

Working from home two days a week reduces sick days by 12%, reduces quitting by 35% with no cost to profit or performance. The Future is Hybrid”

School finish is 3:15. Nursery pick up is no later than 6pm. Nativity plays are before school pick-up. Parents evenings are in school hours. And not everyone can afford to paper over the childcare cracks.

Work can be flexible, parenting can’t.

Flexible working is not a nice-to-have, it’s a non-negotiable.” FLEX APPEAL

TRUST AND FLEXIBILITY ARE KEY” “

“Me & my partner only get 1 week annual leave together - the rest we have to split to cover childcare”

Tips for Employers.

• Create a written policy that reassures parents that you understand their needs and will make reasonable efforts to accommodate them. Ideally, don’t wait for someone to become a parent to write this.

• Flexible Annual Leave Policy: To offer assistance in managing school holidays. Consider offering opportunities for buying extra annual leave. Be flexible on dates that employees can take annual leave - flat rules that prevent more than one member of staff having annual leave at the same time make it very difficult for parents to manage cover for their children’s holidays. If this is necessary and more than one employee has school-age children, consider how you can manage this, to avoid it being simply first come first served.

• Understand how important it is for parents to be able to attend assemblies, sports days, plays, parents evenings and other similar ad hoc activities. By accommodating time off for these activities where possible, or showing understanding for the upset that might be caused if it can’t, you can increase morale and a feeling of appreciation.

• Give full consideration to facilitating part time and other working arrangements as this might help parents to be able to manage their family lives

Tips for Employees.

• Be realistic about whether the ethos of the company aligned with your aspirations for balancing work and parenting. If not, then perhaps it’s time to consider other options. Don’t live in hope that things will change unless you have received guarantees that it could.

• If you want to alter your working week or day, then arrange to discuss this with your line manager. Perhaps discuss a trial period if this is something that the employer has not had previous experience of.

• Remember that whilst you may be restricted in the amount of hours that you can work and that life outside of work can create a distraction, good, committed and dedicated employees are valuable to employers.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. However, appreciate that your employer has a lot of things to balance and a lot of people’s requests to consider, so there will be limitations on what can be facilitated. They may want to accommodate your needs, but they may not be able to. At least if you can engage in an open dialogue about it, then you can keep the conversation going and something that might not be possible now, could be achievable in the future.

and create a better environment to focus on work. Remember that by law, all employees have the right to request flexible working from their first day in their job, and that you as the employer must deal with these requests in a reasonable manner.

• Flexible start / finish times can help with childcare arrangements, Can you be willing to negotiate around this?

• Whilst parents might not be able to work as long as hours as their childfree colleagues it doesn’t mean that they aren’t as productive. Most working parents are experts in time management and multi-tasking. There is a macho attitude to working long hours in architectural education and practice. This is something that should be considered unhealthy for all staff and should be left in the past. Working long hours isn’t a sign of commitment.

• Sometimes hospital trips, appointments etc may need to be accommodated. Is this something that you can allow without impacting annual leave?

• Be open to ongoing conversations about challenges your employee may be facing as a parent, as children can go through changing circumstances as they move through education.

Unconscious bias is a significant issue in terms of expectations on men and women’s roles in parenting. Whether they haven’t had children themselves or if they did, the experience they had of parenting may impact how they view your requests. Consider how to put your case in a way that is cognisant of that, try not to take it personally and be resilient and empathetic in these dealings..

• Feeling guilty as a parent who is trying to juggle work and children is perfectly natural. However, it is also unhelpful and self-defeating.

• As a parent, you are also modeling your children’s expectation for how parenting works, and how responsibilities are split if you are co parenting. What they expect from each parent and how that impacts relationships. Consider this when deciding your approach to work/parenting.

• Consider the financial implications of working and childcare. Financial struggles can be stressful, make sure that this is something that you have control over where possible. This may impact your working and childcare arrangements.

• Think about how you could manage sick leave as and when required. Illnesses are common in school aged children. Check your company’s policy on managing this. Is there an allowance for time off for children’s illnesses? If not, then you might need to consider this when planning your annual leave allowance at the start of the holiday year.

Caring for relatives.

MANAGING CARE, NURSES, ATTENDING APPOINTMENTS, RESPITE

Caring for elderly, disabled or vulnerable parents or an adult family member has many similarities to caring for children, but with its own unique set of challenges.

Increasingly, there is a need for people to take on caring responsibilities for family members and relatives. The most recent census information estimates that around 5.7 miIlion people across the UK act as unpaid carers, which equates to around 9% of the population. However, research by Carers UK in 2022 estimated the number of carers to be more likely around 10.6 million.

Being an unpaid carer can be a huge strain, if you are also in employment. This can take many forms, physical, emotional and financial. The pressure of trying to look after a relative as well as managing any other family responsibilities, combined with work responsibilities can be deeply stressful for the carer. Local Authority (LA) social care is also currently under a great deal of financial cost cutting and the levels of support available can vary greatly from area to area. Nonetheless, reaching out to LA social care should be a first port of call. Alternatively, other organisations such as AgeUK can be invaluable in helping to access the right help at the right time.

Whether the person is cared for in the family home, or in a residential care home, the carer’s commitments and responsibilities to help their family member is likely to remain. If a carer has obtained Lasting Power of Attorney, they will have varying degrees of commitment to legally act officially on behalf of the family member in matters of financial and/ or health matters and this will involve accompanying them to things such as GP or hospital appointments, and often comes with other domiciliary and personal care. Time commitments on the carer will equally vary and can often come with no warning, so an understanding of the pressures and flexibility from the employer is key to alleviating the stress that the carer will face.

Tips for Employers.

• Whilst requests for flexible working are not always an easy thing to accommodate for a variety of reasons, an empathetic approach to making these decisions should benefit everyone in the longer term.

• If you have concerns over how feasible someone’s requests are then consider a trial period. Arrange a review after an agreed period of time and take time to discuss before agreeing whether it can be implemented on a long term basis

• Be open to reviewing processes to ensure that the purpose they were designed for is still appropriate.

• If you don’t have policies in place, work with employees to put something in place so that you both have something to work from. Review them and be willing to be pragmatic if circumstances require it.

• Employees who feel valued will usually pay this back and show loyalty to an employer.

• Consider the value that having people from diverse backgrounds and people with different needs and constraints can actually offer a richness and new approach.

Tips for Employees.

• Be kind to yourself, you are doing your best.

• Explaining your circumstances to your employer ensures that they are equipped with the knowledge that they require to consider any particular requests or concerns that you have.

• However, be prepared for the fact that not all employers will understand how this will impact you and for those that do there may be reasons why they could be unable to facilitate your requests.

• Conversations of this nature can be difficult, especially as the carer will often be burdened with the guilt of not being able to offer the level of care they would like to for their family member and often the responsibilities of caring will make the employee feel that they are unable to perform at work to the level they would ideally like to.

• Discuss opportunities for working flexibly, if home working or a change to your standard working hours could make things easier for you, then make the case for this and consider a trial period to ensure that both parties are satisfied with the situation.

• Consider simple interventions in the home, such as ramps, grab rails, personal alarms or key safes, which might help to alleviate some concerns over leaving a family member at home alone.

• Investigate if financial allowances are available although it should be remembered that funding for such assistance is under financial pressure and isn’t always forthcoming. The DWP will assess.

59% of unpaid carers are women (Census 2021). Women are more likely to become carers and to provide more hours of unpaid care than men. More women than men provide high intensity care at ages when they would expect to be in paid work (Petrillo and Bennett, 2022)

FACTS & STATS FROM CARERS UK

75% of carers in employment worry about continuing to juggle work and care (Carers UK, State of Caring 2022).

On average, 600 people a day leave work to care – with over 500,000 people leaving work to provide unpaid care prepandemic (Carers UK, Juggling Work and Care).

According to the Census 2021, there are 2.5 million unpaid carers in employment (excluding full-time students) in England and Wales.

One in seven people in the workplace in the UK are juggling work and care (Carers UK, Juggling Work and Care, 2019).

Between 2010-2020, people aged 46-65 were the largest age group to become unpaid carers. 41% of people who became unpaid carers were in this age group (Petrillo and Bennett, 2022).

General Suggestions.

• Investigate what respite care may be available in your area, this can be helpful with short term relief for the carer and in situations where they may need a short break from caring responsibilities.

• If a family member has been hospitalised it’s important to speak with hospital staff to arrange for an Occupational Therapist to assist with an assessment. They will assess the patient’s physical and mental abilities and should also provide a home assessment to see what adaptations may be required to help facilitate the family members safe transfer and continued independence in their home. They might also be a facilitator in pressuring social services to provide some form of a care package.

• Care packages may be limited to a short period of convalescence, but will often be assessed and a dialogue with social services can be made to see what further assistance could be made available.

• If a person becomes unable to adequately support themselves in their own home with the support of family help and/or a care package, they may be at significant danger of them accidentally harming themselves. A good care home will help to provide a safe place for the family member and ultimately give the carer a great deal of peace of mind.

• Lasting Power of Attorney is required to enable the carer to act on the best behalf of the family member (possibly in cases against their will). This is a legal document and ideally this is something that will have already been set in place with the full knowledge and understanding of the family member prior to any need to use it.

• Speak to a financial specialist who will make sure you and your family are getting all the benefits you are entitled to.

• Age UK are a trusted website and they have advisors who can offer financial assistance. It is also worth going to your local citizens’ advice to see if they can help.

• The society of later life advisers might also be able to offer support.

• Unpaid workers are entitled to a one-off annual payment if they care for someone for 35 or more hours per week, the payment could be used to go to the gym or pay for driving lessons or a break away. A social worker/nurse/doctor applies for this on your behalf.

• Full-time carers can claim £81.90 a week, but they become ineligible for the whole amount if they earn more than £151 a week, after tax and expenses.

• NHS – offer key safes/personal alarms, they cover a wide range of things that can be helpful

The difficult times.

MISCARRIAGES, IVF, ADOPTION

This section discusses topics which may be distressing for anyone affected by pregnancy loss or experiencing difficulties conceiving. Please consider whether you feel comfortable discussing these topics before reading on. We hope to offer advice for anyone navigating through these circumstances whilst managing career commitments and to suggest practical ways employers can offer support.

In collating these guidance notes we have drawn on our own personal experiences and those of family, friends and members of our extended UrbanistasNW network. We understand how distressing and lonely this time can feel. Each individual’s experience will be unique, but we hope that some of the points within this section may be helpful to you, either as someone affected personally, or as an employer hoping to understand how to offer support.

We also hope that if you are an employer, the guidance encourages you to review your policies surrounding these sensitive issues. In the first instance, policies should be well documented and make clear the support the company would like to provide, without the employee having to ask. This is especially important when an employee may require privacy and confidentiality and may not feel ready to have difficult conversations with their employer.

We would also like employers to reflect on why so many female employees feel that disclosing fertility issues may damage their career. Perhaps this is due to a lack of female role models or a disproportionate number of men in senior positions. Perhaps the absence of fertility and miscarriage policies projects a negative message that employees will not be supported and valued through these hard times. Updating policies is an excellent proactive start to address this, though thorough analysis and action to ensure women are supported to progress more generally must be ongoing.

Managing the time required for fertility appointments such as IVF can be extremely challenging. Many women fear that disclosing plans to conceive may hinder their career prospects. IVF can also be an emotionally and physically draining experience asthe process involves preparing and self-administering medication daily before setting off for work. Some women experience side effects to the medication and carry out work their work commitments whilst suffering in silence. Regular updates on the success of treatment cycles are slotted into working days – phone calls, sometimes joyful and sometimes heartbreaking, snatched between meetings and coffee breaks. Appointments for scans, egg collections and embryo transfers need to be arranged around an individual’s response to treatment, meaning leave may have to be requested or rearranged with a day’s notice. It is estimated that up to 1 in 7 couples experience infertility . Our guidance notes offer some suggestions on how to navigate this difficult, unpredictable process.

Most bereavement policies do not cover miscarriage (there is currently no statutory requirement to offer bereavement leave for pregnancy loss occurring before 24 weeks). This leads many women to feel pressure to return to work immediately following a loss. Many also feel a pressure to keep their struggles hidden for fear that their career prospects may be jeopardised if they disclose the reasons for their absence. The emotional and physical effects of this trauma are difficult to fully comprehend unless this is something you have been personally affected by. In the UK up to 1 in 4 women experience pregnancy loss2 We urge employers to consider what support they should be offering for this significant proportion of their workforce.

References

“

I was hiding my IVF appointments for years. I had to protect my career.”

“

When I returned to work, I felt immediate regret –but I felt trapped. The sense of not feeling ‘strong’ and being able to ‘just get on with it’ was paralysing.”

The

end of each working day privately marked another day completed without miscarrying.”

QUOTES FROM WORKSHOPS

Tips for Employers.

Tips for Employees.

• Review your bereavement leave policies – The uncertainty over when a grieving parent is expected to return to work adds additional unnecessary distress during an emotional time. It is unlikely that you would expect an employee to return to work immediately after experiencing pregnancy loss, so put this in writing. Consider introducing a specific miscarriage policy and/ or make it clear that bereavement covers pregnancy loss occurring at any stage of pregnancy, including medical terminations. Extend this policy to support anyone affected by pregnancy loss, including partners and relatives. The Miscarriage Association provides a downloadable template for miscarriage policies which may be a useful starting point

• Consider introducing a fertility or personal leave policy – Providing leave to attend fertility appointments and counselling sessions is a positive way to demonstrate support to your employees. Extend this to apply to both parents, not just the person receiving treatment. To allow employees to utilise this without disclosing their personal situation, consider recording the leave under a personal leave policy. This may be a wider policy covering situations such visiting relatives undergoing end of life care (see section 5).

• Confidentiality – If an employee provides details of personal circumstances, consider how you can provide support without betraying confidence. In cases where senior management need to be notified of absence or changes to working arrangements, where possible use phrases such as ‘taking time off for bereavement’ or ‘requires flexible hours for personal reasons’ rather than disclosing private information shared in confidence.

• Consider retrospective antenatal leave – Many antenatal appointments will occur before the employee has notified their employer of their pregnancy. This is especially true for women with additional risk factors or who have previously experienced pregnancy loss. Consider including a ‘retrospective antenatal leave’ arrangement in your maternity policy, to allow

employers to claim back annual or sick leave used for antenatal appointments once they have notified you of the pregnancy.

• Be specific with offers of support – Phrases such as ‘take as much time as you need’ and ‘let us know what we can do to help’ show support and sympathy, but the support being offered can be perceived as vague. Where possible, offer specific support, such as ‘we have a bereavement policy for up to two weeks paid leave – get in touch if you feel ready to come back to work earlier than this, or if you need to discuss taking more time before returning to work’. Reassure the employee that reasonable adjustments will be offered when they return to work– again be specific, offering changes to working hours or working from home arrangements if this is an option.

• Research fertility treatments and train managersRecognise that infertility is a medical condition and not a choice. You will be better equipped to support your employees if you have a good understanding of the processes, appointment commitments and emotional challenges your employees are navigating. Fertility Network UK is a good place to begin your research.

• Be aware of the longer lasting impact – Fertility journeys can last months or years, and the grief associated with pregnancy loss or infertility may never fully subside. Be aware that employees may need additional support and time off to grieve in the future, such as around the anniversary of a loss or due date. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can also be emotional times. Keep this in mind, and schedule wellbeing checkins with your employee, if they are comfortable with this.

• Reflect on the taboo – Review whether your company is providing a supportive environment where women are valued and given equal opportunities for progression, regardless of childbearing age. An employee is more likely to feel able to approach an employer for support if the office culture demonstrates commitment to their wellbeing.

• Confide in a manager or HR – If you feel comfortable doing so, share your circumstances with a trusted manager or member of HR. Explain that you would like the conversation to be kept confidential. There may be some guidance and practical support that can be offered without the need to notify senior management of your private circumstances. It will be a difficult conversation to initiate but may lighten the load longer term.

• Returning to work – Following pregnancy loss many women feel pressure to return to work before they have had time to grieve and recover, for fear that disclosing circumstances might negatively affect their career progression. Discuss your situation with your doctor - they may be able to provide a note to cover absence without disclosing details. This may allow you to take proportionate time off, without the added pressure of keeping up appearances.

• Practical adjustments to your working arrangement – Would more flexible working hours, or the ability to work from home help you to manage work commitments? Even if you would like to avoid taking time off, requesting minor changes to your working arrangements could ease pressure and may be easy for your employer to accommodate. You may not be required to be specific about the reason for the request – for some employers, phrases such as personal circumstances, family bereavement or health concerns may be sufficient information for your employer to grant a flexible working request.

• Be kind to yourself – a sense of loyalty to a job or fear of jeopardising career progression can lead you to take on more than you cope with. The immediate shock of a trauma such as miscarriage may lead you to try and ‘carry on as normal’. Take time to think about whether this is the right approach for you. Some women wish they had been kinder to themselves in the moment and taken the necessary time to grieve their loss.

Employers are often unaware of the personal struggles their employees are facing in private. This makes it difficult to know how and when to provide support. Updating parental, fertility, bereavement, and miscarriage policies sets out a commitment to offering support and takes away some of the job-related uncertainty employees face surrounding these processes.

Glossary of terms.

Antenatal care

Antenatal care is the care you get from health professionals during your pregnancy1.

If you’re pregnant in England you will be offered:

• 2 Pregnancy ultrasound scans at 11-14 Weeks nad 18-21 Weeks

• Antenatal screening tests to find out the chance of your baby having certain conditions, such as Down’s syndrome

• Blood tests to check for syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B

• Screening for sickle cell and thalasseaemia

You may also be offered antenatal classes, including breastfeeding workshops.

KIT days

Employees can work up to 10 days during their maternity or adoption leave. These days are called ‘keeping in touch days

Keeping in touch days are optionalboth the employee and employer need to agree to them.

The work and pay should be agreed beforehand2.

Maternity leave

Statutory Maternity Leave is 52 weeks.

It’s made up of:

• Ordinary Maternity Leave - first 26 weeks

• Additional Maternity Leave - last 26 weeks

You do not have to take 52 weeks but you must take 2 weeks’ leave.

The earliest you can start is 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth.

Leave will also start:

• The day after the birth if the baby is early

• Automatically if you’re off work for a pregnancy-related illness in the 4 weeks before your baby is due

You must give your employer at least 8 weeks’ notice if you want to change your return to work date.

Paternity leave

If you’re a baby’s father or the mother’s partner you’re entitled to 1 or 2 weeks of paternity leave when you and your partner have a baby. You can also take paternity leave when you adopt a child3

You can take either 1 or 2 weeks’ leave.

If you choose to take 2 weeks, you can take them together or separately. You get the same amount of leave even

if you have more than one child (for example, twins).

A week of leave is the same amount of days that you normally work in a week. For example, if you only work on Mondays and Tuesdays, then a week of leave is 2 days.

Your leave cannot start before the birth. It must end within 52 weeks of the birth (or due date, if the baby is early). The start and end dates rules are different if you adopt.

You must give your employer 28 days’ notice if you want to change your start date.

You do not have to give a precise date when you want to take leave. Instead you can give a general time, such as the day of the birth or one week after the birth4

Shared leave

You can share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay between both partners.

You need to share the pay and leave in the first year after your child is born or placed with your family.

You can use SPL to take leave in blocks separated by periods of work, or take it all in one go. You can also choose to be off work together or to stagger the leave and pay.

Eligibility:

• Have been employed continuously by the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the due date

• You must each earn on average at least £123 a week5

Statutory pay

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks. You get:

• 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks

• £184.03 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks

Check your eligibility on the government website6

If you’re not entitled you may be entitled to maternity allowance7

Unpaid parental leave

Parental leave is unpaid. You’re entitled to 18 weeks’ leave for each child and adopted child, up to their 18th birthday.

The limit on how much parental leave each parent can take in a year is 4 weeks for each child. Employees must give 21 days’ notice before their intended start date8

Check your eligibility on the government website.

Wrap around care

Wrap around care is before and after school childcare for primary school aged children in England during term time, such as breakfast clubs and regular after school provision that runs until 6pm or later. The care should be available every school day outside of regular school hours and is aimed at helping parents access more childcare and work the hours they want to9

Bereavement leave

Bereavement leave is specifically when an employee takes time off work after the death of a loved one.

In the UK, you have the right to a ‘reasonable amount’ of time off for any unforeseen matters or emergencies involving a ‘dependent’, but there is no specific amount of time outlined by law for either compassionate or bereavement leave. A dependent is classed as a partner, child, parent, a person who lives in your household (not tenants, lodgers or employees), or a person who relies on you, like an elderly neighbour. If the person who has died is not a ‘dependent’ or part of your immediate family, you don’t have specific rights – this is up to your employer10

Carers allowance

You could get £81.90 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits (See gov website) You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for11

Compassionate leave

Compassionate leave is when an employee takes time off work due to an unforeseen emergency involving a loved one. This could be when a close friend or family member is seriously ill or injured12

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is one of several techniques available to help people with fertility problems have a baby. During IVF, an egg is removed from the woman’s ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised egg, called an embryo, is then returned to the woman’s womb to grow and develop. It can be carried out using your eggs and your partner’s sperm, or eggs and sperm from donors13

Lasting power of attorney

A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf.

LPA is split into Health & Welfare and Property and Finanical affairs. Health & welfare decisions can only be made when the ‘Donor’ is unable to make their own decisions. Property and financial decisions can be made as soon as the LPA is registered with the donors permission.

Health and Welfare decisions consist of:

• your daily routine, for example washing, dressing, eating

• medical care

• moving into a care home

• life-sustaining treatment

Property and Financial affairs decisions consist of:

• managing a bank or building society account

• paying bills

• collecting benefits or a pension

• selling your home14

Parental bereavement leave

You can take 2 weeks’ leave from the first day of your employment for each child who has died or was stillborn if you’re eligible15

Unpaid carer

An unpaid carer is anyone who cares for someone who is ill, disabled, older, has mental health concerns or is experiencing addiction and is not paid by a company or local authority to do this16

References

1. NHS (2020). Your Antenatal Care. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/yourpregnancy-care/your-antenatal-care/

2. ACAS (n.d.). While you’re on maternity leave: Your maternity leave, pay and other rights - Acas. [online] www.acas.org.uk. Available at: https:// www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-andother-rights/while-youre-on-maternity-leave

3: www.citizensadvice.org.uk. (n.d.). Check your parental rights at work. [online] Available at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/ maternity-and-parental-rights/check-yourmaternity-and-parental-rights/parental-rights/ parental-rights-at-work

4: Gov.UK (2023). Paternity pay and leave. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/ paternity-pay-leave/leave

5: Gov.UK (2014). Shared Parental Leave and Pay. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/ shared-parental-leave-and-pay

6.GOV.UK (2022). Maternity pay and leave. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/ maternity-pay-leave/pay

7. Government Digital Service (2012). Maternity Allowance. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https:// www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance.

8. Gov.uk (2011). Unpaid parental leave. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/ parental-leave

9. Gov.uk (2023). Before and after school childcare: Everything you need to know about wraparound care - The Education Hub. [online] educationhub.

blog.gov.uk. Available at: https://educationhub. blog.gov.uk/2023/10/27/before-and-after-schoolchildcare-what-is-wraparound-childcare/

10. COOP.co.uk (2024). Taking time off work after a death. [online] Coop.co.uk. Available at: https:// www.coop.co.uk/funeralcare/advice/taking-timeoff-work-after-a-death

11. GOV.UK (2012). Carer’s Allowance. [online] GOV. UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/carersallowance

13. NHS (2021). IVF. [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ivf/

14. Gov.uk (n.d.). Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

15. Gov.uk (n.d.). Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/parental-bereavement-payleave/what-you-can-get#:~:text=Parental%20 Bereavement%20Pay.- [Accessed 10 May 2024]

16. carersuk.org (n.d.). Who are unpaid carers? [online] Carers Wales. Available at: https://www. carersuk.org/wales/for-professionals/careraware/resources/who-are-unpaid-carers

Useful links.

PREGANCY & PARENTAL LEAVE

Your legal rights:

• https://www.gov.uk/employee-rights-when-on-leave

• https://www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-andother-rights

• https://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/worker/index.htm

• https://www.gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights

• https://maternityaction.org.uk/manchester-maternityrights/

• https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/maternity-andparental-rights/check-your-maternity-and-parentalrights/maternity-leave-and-pay/maternity-pay-whatyoure-entitled-to/

Guidance around pay:

• https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/maternity-leave-andpay/

• https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/your-rights-inpaternity-leave-and-pay/

• https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/advice-page-anoverview-of-your-rights-as-an-expectant-and-new-mum/

• https://maternityaction.org.uk/advice/keeping-in-touchdays/#payment-for-kit-split-day

RETURNING TO WORK

• https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/your-rights-forreturning-to-work/

• https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/category/advice/

• Check what help you could get with childcare costs - GOV. UK (www.gov.uk)

• Apply for free childcare if you’re working - GOV.UK (www. gov.uk)

• Check you’re eligible for free childcare if you’re workingGOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• Tax-Free Childcare - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

JUGGLING THE DAY TO DAY

• Mother Pukka - For people who happen to be parents

• Elliott Rae | Speaker | Author

• https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/advice-page-back-toschool-childcare-options/

• https://www.gov.uk/flexible-working

CARING FOR RELATIVES

• https://www.alzheimers.org.uk

• www.carersuk.org or email advice@carersuk.org or call our helpline on 0808 808 7777

• Personal alarms, monitoring systems (telecare) and key safes - Social care and support guide - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

• https://societyoflaterlifeadvisers.co.uk/

• www.ageuk.org.uk

THE DIFFICULT TIMES

• https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/miscarriageand-the-workplace/human-resources-hr-informationand-support/a-miscarriage-policy/

• https://fertilitynetworkuk.org/fertility-in-the-workplace/

• https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/explore-alltreatments/getting-emotional-support/

• https://www.tommys.org/

• https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/

• https://www.petalscharity.org/about-baby-loss/ miscarriage/

• https://cradlecharity.org/

HELPFUL ORGANISATIONS

Nugget savings

Giving you transparency around parental leave so you can take control of your family’s financial future.

• https://www.nuggetsavings.com/

• https://www.instagram.com/nuggetsavings/

Pregnant then screwed

Tackling maternity discrimination and promoting the rights of women.

• Advice Line:0161 2229879

• https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/

• The Motherhood Penalty Book

Age UK

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/services/in-your-area/carerssupport/

Maternity Action https://maternityaction.org.uk/

Tommys org https://www.tommys.org/baby-loss-support

Finding Rainbows Baby and Child Bereavement Service https://findingrainbows.org/

Special thanks.

Special thanks to our collaborators:

We’d like to thank everyone who has helped contribute to this toolkit and the enthusiasm and support we’ve had. From workshops to individual conversations. Thank you for sharing.

A special thanks to Katie Nancarrow who has been head of graphics.

Special thanks our sponsors:

Material Source - for hosting our event Ecophon - for supplying our 5th birthday party

Special thanks to our team:

Anna May

Alice Kaiser

Frances Phillips

Jess Spencer

Katherine McMahon

Paulina Olszak

Rachel Carter-Jones

Roxanne Kanda

And to all of our friends and families for your support over the past 5 years- we couldn’t have done this without you.

Join the conversation

We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedbackgood or bad. If you feel like you’d like to share your story or may have some links thy would be useful, please let us know. This is an open and on going conversation.

We do not ask for any money in return for this toolkit but we have chosen a charity if you would like to donate as appreciation of all the work and personal journeys that has gone into this report. Our chosen charity is ‘Finding Rainbows,’ a local service.

"Finding Rainbows Baby and Child Bereavement Service, is a compassionate and supportive resource designed to help families navigate the difficult journey of grieving the loss of a baby or child."

Scan the QR code & donate

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