Beginning this Sunday, parents in the United Kingdom with babies receiving neonatal care will have access to paid leave. This important reform was only achieved after a decade of advocacy from stakeholders who had lived the experience of caring for our most vulnerable newborns. Now, eligible parents can benefit from this landmark change. They are entitled to a maximum of 12 weeks of leave and compensation in case their babies are hospitalized in neonatal care for an uninterrupted period of seven days or more.
The cause was pretty much driven by The Smallest Things, a parent-led charity started by Catriona Ogilvy. Celebrating the new law, Ogilvy said that it would provide a lifeline to families when they need it most.
“This new law is the result of a decade of tireless campaigning by those who truly understand – neonatal parents themselves. They know the journey doesn’t end when babies come home from hospital.” – Catriona Ogilvy
The Labour federal government passed the law as a part of their employment rights legislative bill. This bill introduces equally crucial reforms such as menopause support and day-one rights to paternity, parental and bereavement leave. Parents in Britain will now be entitled to bereavement leave following a miscarriage. This critical amendment fills a decades-old void in assistance for bereaved families.
Britain’s minister for women’s health, Gillian Merron, underscored the positive impacts of the new legislation. She said from mental health crisis, it’ll provide parents with peace of mind during what’s already an incredibly stressful journey.
“No parent should have to choose between being with their vulnerable newborn or returning to work.” – Gillian Merron
Employment rights minister Justin Madders commended the campaigners for their commitment to their cause. He acknowledged the wisdom of parents, ideally those with firsthand experience fostering such extremely sick children. He set out a case for these essential reforms, which would ensure a fair playing field for all workers.
“We know that many employers already go above and beyond the statutory minimum, which is why as part of our plan for change we are creating a level playing field that ensures parents, wherever they work, have the vital relief they need to switch off from work and focus on their newborn baby.” – Justin Madders
The new neonatal care leave will benefit thousands of working parents each year. This policy will provide them the assurance they require to put their sickest babies first when it counts most. This change is a big deal in its own right. In the UK, one in seven babies require treatment in a specialist unit within a hospital.
Family-supported charity Bliss has called this legal amendment a game-changer. With this, we see a monumental shift in our society’s view on parental obligations in difficult times. More importantly, it keeps families together when their babies need them most.