flexible working - life after children

Re: flexible working - life after children

BengalcatRVN — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:15:26 GMT

lol, cheers Nick! Your a star as always

Re: flexible working - life after children

Nick Shackleton — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 18:16:09 GMT

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Flexibleworking/DG_10029491

Re: flexible working - life after children

BengalcatRVN — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:33:47 GMT

Can anyone point me in the right direction on where I can find information on flexible working hours, and returning to work following child birth information?

As yet not a member of the BVNA (chq is in the post!) I need to look up a few bits and bobs.

Re: flexible working - life after children

A-J — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:49:21 GMT

i have 4 children ranging from 2 to 11 yrs old. Childcare is hard as i hate the thought of somene else in charge of them (control freak!!) and also working and then not getting all the money as you have to pay for the childcare So now i work for an OOH clinic and it is great as they have their dad at the times i work, he has the reality of life at home with 4 kids and i get to do what i love I also locum random shifts at local practices so my parents take care of him at times or my husband uses a few days holiday. best of both worlds i guess. I have found a fab childminder too so i just need to bite the bullet and hand the little one over to her for some locum worrk in the run up to Christmas.

Re: flexible working - life after children

Selena Carnell — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:56:54 GMT

I have been a full time mum since having my first child five years ago.

I miss working, but we fugured it out and after childcare and fuel i'd be taking home about 100 a month!

I would love to go back but, now my son is at school i would need some one to look after him from 3-5, here are no before and after school clubs and my family are over 30 mins away so they cannot help. We looked at child care vouchers which give you £50 a month i think to go to child care.

My main problem now is childcare during holidays, not many employers would give you the same hols as school, so i am stuck whether i will return to vetnursing is doubtful at the moment as its just not family friendly! but i am looking to going self employed as a pet photograher.

Re: flexible working - life after children

Phrin Vernon RVN — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:14:31 GMT

[quote user="*Steph *"]

[quote user="Phrin SVN"]Lil man goes to an early birds club at school[/quote]

I so wish my lil boy's school had that!!! lol

[/quote]

It is good, BUT its £4.50 a morning, plus 20p for brekkie, and if I ever have to use the night owls service its £7.00 from 3.15pm till 6pm, plus £1.50 for tea!!

I need to qualify quick an up the income! Although them my working tax credit & child tax credit will drop!

I'm just glad the gov see fit to help us single working parents at the moment! Will be majorly peed off if Con-Dem write off the tax credits!

Re: flexible working - life after children

Steph Phillips — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:40:48 GMT

[quote user="Phrin SVN"]Lil man goes to an early birds club at school[/quote]

I so wish my lil boy's school had that!!! lol

Re: flexible working - life after children

Phrin Vernon RVN — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 19:36:00 GMT

I am a single mum to a 5yo, and work full time including on call. To be fair our hours are between 8.30am - 7.30pm, with one weekend in 5 on call.

Lil man goes to an early birds club at school, and at the moment my sister has him after school. My mum takes him when I am on call.

My practice (and colleagues!!) are very good, and have jiggled the rota so that I only have one week in 5 with late finishes, which makes a big difference. With Lil man starting school recently, they also approached me to say that if I needed to go part time, they would do their upmost to accomodate me.

At the moment I am happy being full time, and hopefully that won't change. Lil man is perfectly well adjusted and happy, so I'm happy

Re: flexible working - life after children

chris beasley — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:33:58 GMT

I was the first nurse at my practice ever to have children! I spoon fed them through the procedure of materinty pay and leave. They where pretty good when I came back and I did a job share with another nurse but used my mum to look after my daughter.

completely different when it came to school hours. I understand the problems and to be fair to other staff I left after 20yrs. But when I felt I was ready to juggle the child care a few years later, it was impossible. Nobody wanted a part time nurse who wanted extended hoildays out of term time. (my husband travelled all the time, so was not available to help- Mum had also moved away to far) So I did part time jobs usually 9-2pm at shops over christmas and managed to get a job at a theme park looking after school parties and bookings.

Took 7years before I managed to get back into Veterinary Work again!

Re: flexible working - life after children

Steph Phillips — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:51:30 GMT

I totally feel your pain!! It's soooo hard and stressful juggling motherhood and a Job!!!

Like you, I've been emplyed at the same surgery for years (10 to be exact!), and during my pregnancy - and afterwards they were brilliant! once my maternity was over, I told them the hours I could do.. and they worked around me.. it was fab! I still get flexi time now.. for example I start after the school run and finish in tme to get my son,, then go back to work once I drop him off at his grans... but. . I'm ready to move on now.. I want to leave my currenct practice but I cant get the flexability I need anywhere else.. so I'm staying put for a tad longer..

Re: flexible working - life after children

jtvn — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:44:15 GMT

thanks for all the above posts

we were never your usual family regards working hours, because my husband is a farmer and my parents did the childcare, i happily worked the main summer holiday ( harvest time) my parents had no issues looking after her at xmas /easter i offered to work overtime when my collegues were away but was rarely taken up on it.

But i have to say i am apsolutely loving being a stay at home mum

Re: flexible working - life after children

Leanne Tyreman-Guest — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:05:30 GMT

I am the main carer for my partner as she is now registered disabled after an accident, I still find that people don't get that I have rights to leave to take her to medical appointments etc, and I do agree that sometimes you do feel that people with children get the better choice of shifts/holidays etc unfortunately. I feel that because my partner is an adult it is not taken with the same seriousness as parental duties.

It should be equal for everyone!! And it annoys me when people who have children are messed about when returning to work post maternity, its just not fair on them!!

Re: flexible working - life after children

claire Speight — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:34:44 GMT

When I wanted to return to my practice after my maternity leave I was point-blankly refused any other hours to the ones I already worked, which was impossible as it included night shifts and late finishes. They already had part-time nurses, but my suggested hours didn't fit in with the working arrangements of the practice. Personally the pracice seems to dislike anyone with children as so few have returned after having a child...

I did find a practice who was happy for me to work the hours I suggested and it works for both myself and them, but my experience with my previous practice was not a favourable one....

Claire

Re: flexible working - life after children

S-J — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:34:03 GMT

u shouldnt have to leave over something like that, and to refuse a holiday over 1 day seem stupid, how would they manage if u were on hols and someone was ill? im sure they would manage it fine they wouldnt call u back in.

but like mrs Mac i have found the staff with children seem to get priority at xmas easter etc, not that im saying u shouldnt but its a bit tough on those of us who dont have kids so dont get the holiday

Re: flexible working - life after children

Rachel Jayne — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:51:27 GMT

I'm pretty sure your old employers should've got in some kind of trouble for that, I'm pregnant at the mo (finish for maternity leave next week - yay!) and have been reading up on all the things you are entitiled to as a working parent & I'm sure by saying no to you like that about your holidays was a breach of your rights....

Are you a BVNA member? This is one for the legal helpline me thinks. x
(If you want to take it further that is)

Re: flexible working - life after children

Mac Feather — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:22:41 GMT

Also I do understand that it must be hard having a family and trying to work at the same time. I think Mums have a hard job and often get a hard time, must feel like a difficult balance to achieve.

Re: flexible working - life after children

Mac Feather — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:20:24 GMT

Im not a parent so I can only put my 2 pence worth in as an outsider- seems there are practices out there that say they are 'child/family' friendly and when you get down to it they arent really that flexible or friendly, they just like the label.

But to play devils advocate (and I mean no offence here, its just a suggestion/view) there have been times in my working life where I've felt discriminated against as Im not a parent, but thats a whole other issue.

Re: flexible working - life after children

Anonymous — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:41:57 GMT

It's an interesting subject and I'm sure you are not alone. I have spoken to vets who have had an even harder time negotiating their hours. I don't want to get into finger pointing but I do think there's room for a feature on this subject for the VN Times. If you would be happy to share your stories with me I'm on 01733 383561 or just email. I think the more this subject is talked about the better. So many people don't speak up for fear of appearing to be a trouble maker and that's not good.