Pregnancy, leave and family support

• Individual needs - Ensure that each member of staff is treated according to their individual parenting journey and their needs.
• Training and support – Ensure line managers are trained and provided guidance to support their staff (Specific guidance for line managers is identified as best practice)
• Access to information – Ensure dedicated Intranet spaces and guidance is available.
• Entitlements – Ensure force Policies and Guidance are easy to read and readily accessible.
• Access to support – Ensure measures are in place to provide additional support and signposting. (Parenting champions, mentors, buddies are all identified best practice).
• Contact with staff when away from workplace – Ensure processes are in place for staff to be kept in touch with and supported. (Contact contracts have been identified as best practice).
• Being kept informed when away from workplace – Ensure staff are aware of vacancies and development opportunities (lateral/promotion) and training. (KIT and SPLIT events have been identified as best practice).
• Support to return to work – Ensure a bespoke return to work plan is in place (Phased returns have been identified as best practice).
• Breastfeeding – Ensure staff are supported to make choices regarding breastfeeding.
• Flexible and Agile working – Ensure staff are fully aware of options available.
• Adoption and Fostering – Ensure specific support is available for Adoption and Fostering (Support groups have been identified as best practice).

The journey of pregnancy can differ, as can the journey to becoming pregnant.

No one pregnancy is the same which means it is important to offer individualised support to staff based on their own circumstances and needs. It is not a “one size fits all” and as such a good relationship and communication is needed to ensure the mother / pregnant person / birthing parent is supported by their employer.

The timing of sharing a pregnancy to an employer is always a personal decision. Once an employer knows of an employee’s pregnancy there is a duty to minimise risk to their employee. Common early pregnancy symptoms include fatigue, nausea and sickness. Sickness and nausea can occur at any time of the day, although a common misconception is that it mostly occurs in the morning. Hyperemesis gravidarum is a rare disorder characterized by severe and persistent nausea and vomiting that may necessitate hospitalisation. Fatigue (tiredness) is also common both in early pregnancy and again in the third trimester. It is important that consideration is given to these symptoms to make the employee as comfortable as possible. Adjustments can be made which accommodates individual needs around early pregnancy symptoms.

Pregnancy should not be equated with ill health. It should be regarded as part of everyday life, and its health and safety implications can be adequately addressed by normal health and safety management procedures. Some hazards in the workplace may affect the health and safety of people in the prenatal and postnatal period and of their baby. It should also be acknowledged that some pregnancies can be deemed higher risk, and this should be taken into consideration during the risk assessment. Staff who have a disability may experience extra issues when having children and evidence suggests that Black women in particular face maternity discrimination and are four times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth. Each risk assessment should be individual and there is no “one size fits all”.

There is an obligation on managers under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to include risks to female staff of childbearing age in their general workplace risk assessment. This is in order to ascertain any risk, which might be posed to the health and safety of a ‘new or expectant mother’ [pregnant woman / birthing parent]. A ‘new or expectant mother [pregnant woman / birthing parent] and their unborn child’ refers to a member of staff who is pregnant, who has given birth within the previous six months or who is breastfeeding.

A risk assessment is not solely a tick box exercise and should be an opportunity to discuss working conditions so that action can be taken to reduce, remove or control any potential risk to both the member of staff and their baby. During early pregnancy there is a unique opportunity to talk to the staff member and understand any issues or concerns they have. It is considered best practice to have regular risk assessments every two months or more frequently if needed.

A risk assessment should be conducted for women returning to work within six months of giving birth and/or for those who are breastfeeding. If staff members are to take the fitness test in preparation for their safety training, they must have a discussion with Occupational Health around alternative fitness testing. Those who have recently given birth and women who are breastfeeding have higher amounts or progesterone and relaxin (both hormones) which soften joints and relax ligaments around joints – this means they are more susceptible to injuries and extra precautions should be taken.

It is recognised that experiences can differ greatly dependent on the knowledge and understanding of the line manager. It is vital that the line manager (s) are aware of their role and what support is available. Clear guidance that is easily accessed will ensure line managers provide accurate and up to date information to the member of staff.

Forces should consider:

• Events to promote force policies, any change in process, to highlight good practice and promote the support available.
• Dedicated guidance for line managers. This can identify what they need to do and ensure that force policy is followed. This mitigates against error and misinformation.
• Training of line managers in understanding and supporting new parents.
• Access to specialist support, HR SPOCs and parenting champions can ensure best practice and guidance is provided.
• Providing additional training to any parenting champions/ mentors to enhance their understanding.
• Where line managers are changed, a thorough handover and new contact should be made with the person on leave, in order to ensure continued inclusion and consistency of care.

For individuals and line managers a key area is easy access to information. The information should be accessible in one place with links to relevant force policies, support and guidance. It is important that the information is relevant and up to date.

Dedicated Intranet spaces enhance the support available, ‘Parenting Portals’, ‘Parenting Pit Stops’ and Apps are all methods utilised by forces to ensure information is easily accessed (internally and externally).

Individuals may wish to access this before commencing their parenting journey, throughout and when on leave. Some forces have external portals, whilst others provide packs for new parents containing handbooks and guidance.

Forces should consider:

• Having a dedicated Intranet page to host all information relating to parents with links to Policies and support.
• Developing ‘New Parent’ and ‘Line Manager’ toolkits, guidance documents with key information and considerations.
• How they make information available and how the experience of the staff member can be enhanced.
• How to enable staff to access this when away from the workplace.
• Changes in practice and support available should be promoted in force.
• Holding awareness raising events to promote best practice, changes in process and support available.

People arrive at the decision to adopt for numerous reasons. These may need to be considered when providing appropriate and sensitive support. The journey to and process of adoption will almost certainly be long, complex, and emotionally challenging. This happens over several stages:

Some people may not want to talk about the background of their children as they consider this very personal to the child and it is for them to choose to reveal what they are comfortable with. Others will be very open.

Prospective adopters should be given maximum flexibility in order to attend all the relevant appointments. For compulsory appointments where it is not possible to work around the applicant’s shifts – for example the full day appointments – special paid leave should be used. Social services and adoption agencies will expect both parties at appointments if a couple is adopting. It can significantly impact on the progress of an adoption process (and even cause concerns to the services/agencies) if one partner misses’ appointments or if they have to have separate sessions.

Adoption leave differs from maternity leave - adoption leave entitlement is 52 weeks. The main difference being it allows adopting parents (if there are two) to select which partner will take the leave. Shared parental leave is also available to those adopting a child.. It should be noted that most local authorities when arranging adoption placements will require adopting parents to take a minimum of 12 months off work to help their child settle in and adjust. This is not a legal requirement though and once Parental Responsibility has been obtained (after a minimum period of 10 weeks from placement) the family can make their own decisions.

The statutory position on adoption leave for ‘foster to adopt’ cases is explained on gov.uk and ACAS, it is also covered in Police Regulations. In the UK local authority/adoption agency ‘foster to adopt’ cases, the prospective parents can start adoption leave when they have been matched with a child. If the parents have started their leave and are subsequently told the adoption cannot happen, their adoption leave will end eight weeks after the placement is terminated.

Support

Some forces have found that there are huge advantages to creating specialist adoption support groups where people can share and understand the process.

LGBT+ couples who decide to start a family may take any of these routes to have children. Please refer to the above sections for general guidance.

What is important to remember is that the road to legal parenthood is the same process for LGBT+ couples as it is for heterosexual couples.

Biological link doesn’t define a family, nor does it provide more legal rights or responsibility to one parent over the other. LGBT+ families are becoming more and more common.

Transgender people who are currently taking hormones for their transition but are considering fertility treatment may well have to consider a readjustment in their medication. For transgender men, this would mean adjusting their synthetic testosterone intake and increasing their oestrogen and progesterone. This can be a very difficult time for them and for some people may induce gender dysphoria, which in turn may induce symptoms such as anxiety and depression, low self-esteem, becoming socially withdrawn and isolated. For transgender women, the oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone blockers would have stopped sperm production. For them to produce sperm again they would be required to stop taking those hormones, which in essence would be comparable to menopause. This is as well as gender dysphoria as described above.

There are LGBT+ family support groups within the police family. Please liaise with local LGBT+ Networks and local transitioning policies for extra support for transgender colleagues.

Avoid saying…

• ”Who is the real mum/dad?”
• “Does the child have any men/women its life?”
• “Do you know the dad/mum?”

A member of staff going into a period of parenting leave will require support and guidance.

Whilst pregnant, the role they are in may no longer be a role they can perform due to the risk assessment or nature of the work. If it is necessary to provide alternative work to a member of staff, their line manager / organisation should engage with them early in the process to ensure that they benefit from such work. Be mindful that your member of staff may have specific ideas as to the area of work they would like to undertake in order to further their personal development, and ensure that they are contributing positively to the workplace. It is therefore vital that the wishes of your member of staff are taken into account when considering alternative work. This helps to promote their value and engagement with the organisation.

Forces should ensure that line managers make arrangements with their member of staff to meet regularly during the time leading up to their leave to ensure that they are fully sighted on the support the member of staff may need. This may simply be incorporated as part of the monthly one to one with the member of staff.

Line managers should be encouraged to recognise that no two experiences are the same and support needs to be adapted to the individual’s needs.

Line managers should ensure that a record of each meeting is made via the appropriate force systems. Things for line managers to consider when meeting with people who are pregnant and taking maternity or Shared Parental Leave (SPL) should include:

• Is there anything the member of staff is concerned about?
• Updating the risk assessment: Is there anything, which has happened since your last meeting with the member of staff which means the risk assessment needs to be reviewed
• Identifying any reasonable adjustments needed: This could include any changes to location of work, work hours, working environment such as a new desk or chair etc. Occupational Health (or equivalent) will be able to assist should you require any guidance on the support available.
• Where there is a high level of risk identified with the individual’s current role, for example with front-line duties or significant contact with detainees, they may be offered the opportunity to undertake an alternative role on a temporary basis. They do however have the right to remain in their current role if they choose to, and all reasonable adjustments will be made to enable them to continue to do so.
• In circumstances where an alternative role is considered for the individual, they should be included in discussions with their line manager and an HR professional to ensure they are assigned to a role that is suitable and appropriate to their skills and experience.
• Every effort should be made to identify a suitable role in the above circumstances, however if this is not possible, as the final option it may be necessary to grant leave on full pay until the individuals starts maternity leave.
• Reduced Hours: Should a member of staff reasonably need to reduce their hours as a reasonable adjustment identified in a risk assessment to support them during their pregnancy, then some forces give line managers the discretion to reduce working hours by up to 50%, this does not affect their wage. Some forces may require a medical statement and/or occupational health assessment.
• Agile Working: Agile working is the term used to describe how staff can work flexibly from different locations. Forces may consider how their Agile Working Policy may assist in setting out how arrangements can be made with your member of staff to support working away from their normal place of work.
• Highlight additional support available: Whilst line managers should remain the first point of contact for their member of staff whilst they are in work, there may be additional support, which they require. They should be made aware of the various support available to them. This may include:
• HR – If a member of staff does not feel comfortable discussing matters with their line manager, then they can contact the relevant HR team. Forces may wish to consider appointing a Parenting specialist advisor.
• Staff Support Networks – Most Forces have several Staff Support Networks, which are free to join for all serving members of staff. Although networks differ from each other in their constitution, terms of reference, and activities, in general each network provides workplace support to its members and seeks to help the organisation to provide for the diverse needs of its staff members. There are also National Networks available for staff.
• GP/Midwife – If a member of staff is unwell at any stage, or have any questions about their pregnancy then it is vital that they make an appointment with their GP or midwife as soon as possible.
• Occupational Health – Force Occupational Health (OH) departments are usually able to provide general advice and guidance for basic ad hoc queries.
• Counselling
• Employee Assistance Helplines.
• Federation/UNISON – If the member of staff is a member of Federation or UNISON and they have any issues relating to becoming a new parent, for example, accessing entitlements, then they should contact the Force rep to seek support.
• Police Chaplain.
• Parental Champions – Many forces have Parenting champions (or similar) who your member of staff may contact at any time throughout their journey to becoming a new parent, or on return to work. Parental Champions have an enhanced understanding of the processes and are able to signpost staff to service or information, which may assist them.
• Line managers should start making arrangements for cover during leave – Line Managers should consider a short handover period prior to the period of leave. It is advisable that towards the start of the period of leave, that workloads are monitored.
• Entitlements available: Make sure that the member of staff is fully sighted on their entitlements. This includes reasonable paid time off to attend antenatal appointments; changes to uniform; and time off for pre-adoption and fostering appointments.

Forces have introduced Contact Contracts (or equivalent) to ensure that any contact is in accordance with the individual needs and wishes.

It is recommended that the line manager arranges a meeting with the member of staff at least four weeks prior to them commencing their period of leave to discuss an agreed plan of contact during their leave. This agreement needs to be recorded in an appropriate format.

The ‘Contact Contract’ is intended to ensure that support, guidance, and an agreed level of contact is in place prior to the member of staff commencing leave. It is up to the member of staff how much, or how little contact they would like to have with the organisation during their leave.

This is also an opportunity to promote a conversation about any needs and concerns of the individual.

Line managers must ensure that a copy of the ‘Contact Contract’ is made available for the member of staff, and that the same is brought to the attention of any new line managers which may be assigned to them during the life of the contract. It is vital that the line manager adheres to their side of the ‘Contact Contract’ throughout the period of leave. This will ensure that the member of staff feels valued throughout their leave, and that they feel supported in returning to work.

Even if the member of staff has indicated that they would like to receive minimal contact from the organisation during their period of leave, it is still important that the line manager congratulate them on their new arrival.

Ensuring that the member of staff is aware of their entitlements

There are a number of entitlements, which the member of staff should be aware of which apply to their period of leave. All such entitlements will be found in the relevant force Policies. These entitlements include:

• The right to take paid KIT (keep in touch) or SPLIT (shared parental leave in touch) days whilst on leave.
• The right to accrued bank holidays and annual leave; and
• Maternity pay, adoption pay, maternity/adoption support pay or shared parental pay where they are entitled to the same.

KIT days, also known as Keeping in Touch days, are an opportunity for a member of staff to keep up to date with changes in the workplace or integrate back into the workplace before the end of their leave. Staff can take up to 10 KIT days whilst on maternity or adoption leave without losing their entitlement to maternity or adoption leave and pay or brining that leave to an end.

SPLIT days, also known as Shared Parental Leave in Touch days can be taken in the same vein if a member of staff is on Shared Parental Leave; however they are entitled to take up to 20 SPLIT days whilst on leave without losing their entitlement to leave and pay.

Forces will have processes in place for managing these days including agreement of how many days can be taken and it is important that staff and line managers are aware.

Forces should consider:

• Ensuring clear processes are in place for the management of staff who are to become parents.
• Having processes in place to capture meetings between line managers and staff members
• Developing a Contact Contract.
• Being clear as to the workplace adjustments that can be provided to staff and ensure this information is made available.
• Promote the options of KIT and SPLIT days and other entitlements with line managers and individuals.

When a member of staff is away from the workplace it is important to ensure that they remain supported. Any agreed level of contact must be maintained.

A congratulations from the line manager or organisation is a simple and supportive gesture. Some forces/ Federations/unions provide gifts to staff as a welcome to their new arrival.

The period a member of staff is away from the workplace can be daunting and lead to a feeling of isolation. As new parents adjust to the role, knowing what support is available can ensure they can easily access it when needed.

It is vital that the member of staff is able to access opportunities and information in regard to career development, job opportunities, courses and training and secondments.

Keeping in touch events have been identified as an effective way to maintain the support and contact with the force. These can ensure staff can access peer support and seek guidance and information. The event can have participants from HR, Pensions, staff support networks, perinatal mental health services, Chief officers, staff associations, trade unions and soon to be or new parents. This opens a network of support and can keep individuals updated with any changes in force. This leads to an enhanced level of engagement.

Parenting champions and buddy schemes are also ways to provide support when the staff member is away from the workplace.

Forces should consider:

• Processes to ensure that communication is maintained in accordance with any agreement.
• That staff have access to information when away from the workplace.
• How they can ensure any career opportunities, jobs, training, and secondments are communicated to staff away on parenting leave.
• Use of external Intranet portals or apps.
• Holding force keeping in touch events for support and engagement.
• Encouraging and promoting peer support through champions/ buddies

Returning to work after a period of extended leave can be a daunting and anxious time for any new parent. Line managers play a vital part in ensuring that their journey back into work is as smooth and as pain free as possible.

Return to work plans are an effective way of identifying the individual’s needs and concerns.

At around 16 weeks into their period of leave, line managers should arrange to meet with the member of staff on leave to arrange their ‘Return to Work Plan’. The member of staff may not wish to meet until a later date, however if they should wish to apply for flexible working, it is advisable that you meet as soon as possible to make sure than an application can be processed prior to their return. This plan can ensure that they identify any adjustments or support needed to return to work.

Life will have changed significantly for the member of staff since they were last in work, and it is therefore important that forces identify any additional support or needs and where reasonable, adjust their working conditions to meet these.

Some considerations would be:

• Implementing a phased return: You may implement a phased return to support your member of staff to return to work following maternity, adoption or shared parental leave. This is a short-term agreement (not normally more than 28 days) between yourself and your member of staff which allows you to implement structured amendments to their duties or working conditions which fall short of full duties/deployment. A phased return is designed to help staff adapt and prepare for a return to full duties and/or contractual hours. A phased return will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Phased returns where reasonably necessary should be granted on full pay (full or part time*). The number of hours worked should be incrementally increased over the phased return period. An example of a 28-day phased return period is as follows: a minimum of 50% of working hours in week 1, progressing back to working full hours by week 4. The suggested pattern would be 50% of working hours in week 1, 75% in week 2, and 87.5% in week 3 and 100% in week 4. This would be in consultation with their line manager and adaptable to the specific needs of the individual.
• Flexible working arrangements: Following a period of maternity or adoption leave, a member of staff may wish to return to work on different working hours or an amended working pattern.
• Career Breaks: there may be occasions where staff wish to take a break from employment – this includes instances where they may wish to take a career break to care for a child or children.
• Parental Leave**: Parental Leave is a right for parents to take unpaid time off work to look after a child or make arrangements for the child’s welfare. Parents may take parental leave if they have, or expect to have, parental responsibility for a child. To be eligible, they must have one year’s continuous service and have legal parental responsibility for a child up to 18 years old. This entitlement is for 18 weeks unpaid leave for each child to be taken before their 18th birthday. In the case of police staff, parental leave is normally taken in weeks, rather than days, with a limit of four weeks per year, unless otherwise agreed with individual forces. Police Officers can take Parental Leave of a single day or part weeks, and there is no 4-week limit, a police officer can take as many days or weeks in a year as they like. Some forces have policies that try to restrict the entitlement in this area for Police Officers to match those that do apply to Police Staff, however the Federation are clear that these force policies are incorrect.
• Time off for Dependents: All staff are entitled to ‘reasonable’ time off to deal with unexpected or sudden problems relating to dependents. This includes part-time staff and those on a fixed-term contract. A dependent includes children.
• Agile Working: Agile working is the term used to describe how staff can work flexibly from different locations.
• Mentoring on return: Offering mentoring on the member of staff’s return to work, especially if they are an operational officer or member of staff providing a front-line service. The member of staff will not only have missed out on a range of different changes in the workplace, but they may also have lost confidence to undertake their role. The provision of a mentor in the initial weeks of their return will ensure that the member of staff has someone to ask questions of if something arises, which they are uncertain of.
• Making arrangements for breastfeeding (see section for breastfeeding below)

• Line managers should be prepared to facilitate use of KIT/SPLIT days in order to complete

  *Part-time workers cannot be treated less favourably (Part Time Workers Regulations 2000), so phased returns for would still cover the same period as full-time but reduced on a pro-rata basis (i.e., as per the suggested pattern % above). If an officer/staff member was previously full-time but has a flexible working request approved to return on a part-time basis, the phased return should be calculated on the revised part-time working pattern/number of hours.

  **Entitlement: up to 18 weeks for each child, up to their 18th birthday

The member of staff should be met by a line manager on their first day back in work, or as soon as possible thereafter, to assess the arrangements which have been put in place and ensure that any concerns the member of staff have are addressed.

Any mentor or peer support should be readily available.

It would be a good idea for the line manager to establish weekly meetings with the member of staff in the first month of their return to ensure that they have the necessary support. The first few weeks can be the most difficult time for a new parent and support will be vital.

During these weekly meetings, the line manager should review the ‘Return to Work Plan’ to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of the member of staff. If there are any changes, make sure they are documented and dated in the plan.

Forces should consider:

Developing return to work plans so the individual’s needs are accounted for.

Developing a mentor scheme for those returning .

Ensuring staff are able to return on a phased return.

Ensuring that risk assessments are in place for return to work.

Ensuring staff are aware of additional support and options available to them.

Giving returners time for requalification/ certification of mandatory training and familiarisation with policies/procedures that have changed.

It is recommended that each police force has a bespoke breastfeeding policy and/or guidance. Individuals must be able to return to work safe in the knowledge that they will be able to continue to breastfeed their child. Having this security will possibly empower them to return to work earlier than expected. If a staff member feels that a flexible supportive environment exists, they are more likely to return to work earlier. Skills and experience are retained within the organisation without incurring extra recruitment costs. National research has shown that supporting employees who want to continue breastfeeding once they have returned to work has lowered absenteeism, improved staff retention, increased morale and loyalty and promoted a family friendly reputation.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life with continuation of breastfeeding as part of the infant’s diet until two years old or beyond. Many who have chosen to breastfeed will return to work and may continue to breastfeed needing support from employers and colleagues. An individual who has chosen to breastfeed and return to work needs support from employers and colleagues to be able to continue breastfeeding if they wish to do so. Around thirty percent of the police workforce are female and a large proportion of them will be combining motherhood and work.

Legislation within both the Equality Act 2010 and Health and Safety At Work Act give statutory requirements for breastfeeding. However, morale would be boosted as we further promote ourselves as a family friendly employer going beyond the minimum statutory requirements. This is a single way to increase job satisfaction and staff loyalty.

Where to express

Employers have a statutory responsibility to provide a safe, private space to express. A ladies toilet is NOT a suitable place in which to breastfeed a baby or express milk. Staff should have the opportunity to safely store their breastmilk. The person expressing will be responsible for labelling the breastmilk and it must only be removed from the fridge by the individual to whom it belongs. Ideally a designated fridge should be provided, however if this is not possible, individual storage bags should be provided with a lock facility (still refrigerated).

The force should provide:

A warm, private room which will have an arrangement for ensuring privacy.

A temperature-controlled fridge. Storage of milk in departmental fridges for general use should be avoided wherever possible, however if this is not possible, individual storage bags should be provided with a lock facility.

• Electric power points.
• Low comfortable chair.
• Table or desk at appropriate height
• Facilities for hand washing.
• A clean area where sterilising equipment may be stored.
• A designated person responsible for the room

A force should ensure surfaces are non porous and easy to clean and disinfect to maximise the ability for the milk to not be contaminated and, where milk is being expressed, to ensure it is being done in as hygienic a manner as possible.

Consideration of these requirements must also be made for training facilities.

Senior leadership team and supervisors should facilitate a member of staff’s request to breastfeed on their return to work by allowing them sufficient time to leave their place of work. Best practice suggests that up to two hours may be needed per full working day mutually negotiated with their line manager (in addition to existing breaks) either to feed their baby if this is practicable or to express milk.

Risk Assessments

Each breastfeeding woman should have a work-related risk assessment. Consideration should be given to time to express; this should be factored around their normal duties and it is important that this discussion is had with the breastfeeding individual. The wearing of body armour which can sometimes be tight fitted and uncomfortable when needing to express should be considered when completing the risk assessment.