Working Families

What do you think are the top worries and concerns of working parents and carers? Our latest helpline data deep-dive has revealed the top 5 issues that parents and carers have contacted us about. In 2023-2024, we responded to 1,512 queries from 1,470 people. 👉 22% of helpline users were single parents. 👉 84% of helpline users were women. 👉 1/3 of helpline users are living in relative poverty. Share your thoughts on the top 5 and read the full report here: https://loom.ly/B5rGHkk

Charlie Beswick of Our Altered Life talks about the extremely tough, and often taboo, emotions that she felt following the birth of her twins. As a new ambassador for Working Families, read about Charlie's experience and how she channelled it into a force for good. Read here: https://loom.ly/qaST_Wc

We're proud to announce Charlie Beswick as our a new ambassador for Working Families. As a passionate advocate for parents and carers, and mentor for families whose lives have been altered by disability, Charlie is dedicated to championing positive change. On becoming an Working Families ambassador, Charlie said: "‘We speak the same language, we have the same passion – to get better outcomes for carers by working with them on the ground and at a national level." Read more about Charlie here: https://loom.ly/qaST_Wc

We spoke to Catherine Oliver, author of the bestselling book ‘Working Parents-to-be’, about the need-to-know considerations for parents returning to work following maternity leave. Catherine says: "There are three key decisions to make that will help you create a return plan that is right for you – your family, your role and your employer." 👉 KIT Days: do you want to make use of these and if so in what way? 👉Accrued annual leave: do you know how much annual leave you have accrued and how you plan to use it? 👉Straight back vs ramp up: do you want to just jump straight back in, or would you like to try and ramp up your return more gradually using either KIT Days, accrued annual leave, or a combination of the two? Read Catherine's tips and advice: https://loom.ly/Upo-_iQ Image credit: Ginger Jams Photography

Working Families CEO Jane van Zyl sat down with Adam Pacifico of The Leadership Enigma Podcast, to discus what flexible working actually means, the role of the office post-pandemic and Jane's personal purpose to encourage practical change for working parents and carers. Listen here: https://loom.ly/GVRqooo

As part of #NationalWorkLifeWeek Transition to Parenthood are looking for individuals to speak to in relation to flexible working. If you would like to get involved please click the link: https://loom.ly/snhU6ic

We spoke with Lisa Watch and Rhiannon C., who job share the role of Director of Policy and Communications at Kinship. Lisa and Rhiannon have been successfully job sharing senior roles together for the past five years, so we wanted to know what makes a successful match and what they have discovered about job shares since working as partners. Click the link to read now: https://loom.ly/l3lvYKQ

Kemi Badenoch, potential leader of the Conservative party commented this weekend that maternity pay was excessive and ‘the answer cannot be let the government help people to have babies’. Far from being a drain on our country, maternity pay is an investment, helping women stay in work and families stay out of poverty. In fact, we’re campaigning for better maternity and paternity pay, so that parents can afford to take the time they need with their new baby and families can decide how they share caring. This kind of view belongs in the past, when women had less rights and there was less equality in the workplace. As businesses and leaders wise up to the value decent maternity pay brings, we hope that Ms. Badenoch joins them in seeing that the future is built on investing in people. Read Jane van Zyl's full response here: https://loom.ly/IBxR_F4

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Una O'Reilly , FCIPD as a Vice Patron for Working Families. “I am honoured and delighted to be a Vice Patron of Working Families and help make the mission to remove barriers for working parents and carers a living and breathing reality." With extensive experience across HR and organisational development, Una has an impressive record of creating award-winning people practices that promote inclusivity and engagement.

Relationship managers, Susanne Woodhams and Hannah Francis attended a recent roundtable hosted by HSBC. Roundtables are a positive way to encourage conversation within your organisation around supporting family-friendly policy and change. "Thank you so much to HSBC for inviting us to their Pathways to Parenthood roundtable last week. It was brilliant to be part of such an engaging conversation on a hugely important topic. We are looking forward to the next session!"