More Support Needed For Working Parents In Police

BEING a working parent and a police officer can be challenging but there is help and support available, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.

Last month Emma Cheney, a Firearms Chief Inspector with South Yorkshire Police, spoke out about the “mum guilt” she sometimes felt while juggling her demanding job with being the parent of three young children.

And South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said there was a discrepancy between districts in how supportive they were of officers’ work-life balance.

Steve said: “I know Emma well and I can relate to this. I’m the husband of a serving officer. When my wife and I were on opposite shifts we used to hand the kids over at the police station gates. We used to do that for years, and I know a lot of officers who do that.

“It wasn’t ideal, swapping over at the gates with the kids in the back of the car. But we’re very lucky. We had understanding management and they looked after us. Not everybody has that. For some people, certainly detectives who do really long hours, it can be a real challenge.

“For mums and dads out there, we know it can be a real struggle. Sometimes we find that districts are really supportive of parents in terms of flexible working, but sometimes, sadly, they can be lacking. That can just be a bit of ignorance to the rules and regulations rather than it being intentional.

“If anyone has any concerns around flexible working, you can speak to our Federation’s Equality Lead. That’s what we’re here for, we’re not just here for the discipline side of things. So if any officer finds themselves struggling in terms of their parenting responsibilities and working times, they need to come to us and we can look at supporting and exploring all options that they’ve got with them.

“This is something that I think culturally we need to change. The police service is probably better than some other organisations, but we could always do better.”