In light of the recent outbreak and lock down, those on maternity leave should be given 3 extra months paid leave, at least. This time is for bonding and social engaging with other parents and babies through baby groups which are vital for development and now everything has been cancelled.
1. Extend maternity leave by 3 months with pay in light of COVID-19
20/03/2020 - Petitions
Found: In light of the recent outbreak and lock down, those on maternity leave should be given 3 extra months
2. Good Work Plan: Proposals to support families
19/07/2019 - Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- View source
Found: nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open
-government
-licence/version/3
or write to the
Information Policy Team, The National
3. Baby Loss Awareness Week
08/10/2018 - Parliamentary Research
Found: DEBATE PACK Number CDP 2018/0213, 8 October 2018 Baby Loss Awareness Week By Sarah Barber Nikki Sutherland
4. Best Beginnings - written evidence
09/10/2018 - Inquiry: First 1000 days of life - Health and Social Care Committee
- View source
Found: initiatives through to implementing digital support in maternity pathways across the Country, that have seen a
5. Bereavement Care after the Loss of a Baby in the UK
06/07/2016 - Parliamentary Research
Found: peer review.Bereavement Care after the Loss of a Baby in the UKBy Rebecca Montacuteand Sarah BunnNumber
1. Covid-19: Maternity and Parental Leave
05/10/2020 - Westminster Hall
1: support the new call list system and to ensure that social distancing can be respected. As I look around, - Speech Link
2: 306691 relating to the impact of Covid-19 on maternity and parental leave.It is an honour to serve - Speech Link
2. Baby Loss: Covid-19
05/11/2020 - Westminster Hall
1: considered the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on people experiencing baby loss.It is a pleasure - Speech Link
2: has marked Baby Loss Awareness Week—as with many things, covid-19 caused some delay, as Baby Loss Awareness - Speech Link
3: all do. We understand how important it is for parents to come through this terrible time. We have had - Speech Link
3. Maternal Mental Health
10/03/2021 - Westminster Hall
1: [Relevant Documents: The impact of Covid-19 on maternity and parental leave, First Report, HC 526, and the - Speech Link
2: first two years of a child’s life are vital in their development, and the right support and guidance for - Speech Link
4. Oral Answers to Questions
23/06/2020 - Commons Chamber
1: the whole of England as soon as possible. Due to covid-19, the 21 cancer alliances in England have established - Speech Link
2: we are achieving that throughout the system. Covid-19 has upended all our lives, and some decisions - Speech Link
3: network of 25 charities published plans for restoring vital cancer services. I wrote to the Minister on 17 April - Speech Link
5. Parental Leave for Parents of Premature Babies
13/11/2018 - Westminster Hall
1: this House has considered parental leave for parents of premature babies.It is a pleasure to serve - Speech Link
2: Northern Ireland, six small babies have been born prematurely to parents who were not expecting to see - Speech Link
You may be interested in these active petitions
These groups are vital for baby development, bonding and educating both babies and parents. Given that the government have closed down many areas of the community new parents and babies are confined to their homes with no social interaction which will ultimately impact on the development of children.
We are calling on Boris Johnson and the government to extend paid maternity leave by an additional 3 months, at least to allow for this development and bonding to take place.
The UK’s Maternity Leave offer is already amongst the most generous in the World – up to 52 weeks of leave are available, 39 weeks of which are paid – and we currently have no plans to extend it.
During this difficult time for the country, we recognise the disruption the necessary actions are having on people’s lives, their businesses, their jobs and the nation’s economy
That is why the Government has put in place unprecedented support for public services, workers and businesses to protect against the current economic emergency. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme that helps protect people’s jobs and helps employers to still provide important benefits such as enhanced contractual maternity pay.
We have made regulations to ensure women will not lose out on Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) should they be affected by a period of furlough pay. The regulations require employers to calculate SMP on normal earnings rather than reduced pay. It is also possible for employers to offer furlough pay at the end of a woman’s maternity leave and pay period, in effect extending the period a woman is away from work.
We understand that the social distancing measures mean that there are limited opportunities for parents to participate in activities normally available, such as parent and baby groups or introducing their newborn to family friends. This is regrettable but necessary to help safeguard the health of individuals, including other new mothers and babies.
Maternity Leave and Pay are provided to enable employed women to take time off work in the later stages of their pregnancy and after they have given birth. In addition, the UK’s Maternity Leave offer is already amongst the most generous in the world, with up to 52 weeks leave available and 39 weeks of pay. Therefore, we currently have no plans to extend Maternity Leave.
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy