Shared parental leave for police officer parents
POLICE officer parents will be able to share leave more fairly now, thanks to changes to police regulations.
Mothers, fathers and adoptive parents will be able to share parental leave if they wish to do so – meaning women will be able to bring their leave to an early end and share the balance with their partner – thanks to the effect of the Children and Families Act 2014 on Police Regulations 2003.
The Act, which came into force this week, contains five other crucial changes for police officers.
The shared parental leave can be taken following the second week after the baby is born and will last for a maximum of 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of statutory pay. Prospective fathers may also be granted unpaid time off to attend up to two antenatal appointments with a pregnant woman.
Unpaid parental leave will also be extended to cover children up to the age of 18 from the current five years of age. Shared parental leave and pay will be made available to adoptive parents, prospective parents in the ‘fostering for adoption’ system, and intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement.
Statutory adoption leave and pay now also reflect entitlements available to birth parents, while intended parents in surrogacy and ‘foster to adopt’ arrangements will be entitled to adoption leave and pay, as well as paternity leave and pay.
Andy Fittes, General Secretary of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “We welcome the fact that these regulations are finally due to be brought into police regulations.
“They were part of the last agreement with the official side of the Police Negotiating Board so they have been a while coming. There are a few details to be ironed out but we are pleased they have been published.”
To see the document in full, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0112015-the-effect-of-the-children-and-families-act-2014-on-police-regulations-2003/circular-0112015-the-effect-of-the-children-and-families-act-2014-on-police-regulations-2003