Blog
Welcome to our blog where we explore news, policy developments and best practice ideas relating to how parents and carers can fully meet their work and caring responsibilities, and how their employers can best support them.
In the interests of open debate and the exploration of new ideas, any views expressed here may not necessarily represent the formal view of Working Families.
How can we support maternal mental health?
For Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, we asked Dr Krystal Wilkinson, at Manchester Metropolitan University, about what everyone can do to support maternal mental health.
Caring Aloud – Matthew’s Story
For the next in our Caring Aloud series, Matthew* shares his experience of looking after his mother, whilst also caring for his children, known as ‘sandwich caring’.
Building Family-Friendly Workplaces of the Future: Insights from the Family Friendly Workplaces Launch
The launch of the Family Friendly Workplaces certification brought together leaders from business, government, and charities with a shared goal of building workplaces that work for the 80% of employees with caring responsibilities. Here are the key insights.
Neonatal Care Leave
Working Families are delighted to see that the government has confirmed that parents who have a baby in neonatal care will be entitled to additional time off as a day one right from 6th April 2025.
Caring Aloud – Adrian’s Story
In the next in our Caring Aloud series, we hear from Adrian, who talks candidly about the challenges of running your own business whilst caring, and his frustration at the lack of support for self-employed carers.
The budget and what it means for employers
The long-awaited budget finally landed at the end of October. With a focus on ‘delivering change by protecting working people’ the budget introduced policies that will impact businesses more directly. But beyond the headlines, what do the announcements mean for employers who are committed to being family-friendly?
Leading employers light the path for parental leave
With the recognition that parental leave is good for both babies and parents, the call is becoming louder for longer periods of paid leave for mothers and fathers/partners, and an equalising of leave so that families can decide how they want to divide up the care of their child.
Could the Autumn Budget offer the help struggling families need?
Labour’s first budget presents a key opportunity for the new government to make a real and direct impact on the lives of ordinary families across the UK.
Work-life balance and flexibility
Working Families Ambassador, parenting expert and the founder of A Mother Place, Becca Maberly, discusses work life balance and flexibility for National Work Life Week.
‘To help the mum I was’: How Charlie Beswick has channelled her own experience into a force for good
Working Families' new ambassador, Charlie Beswick explains what drives her and why she is such a passionate champion of parents and carers.
Creating a return to work plan: what to think about
When it comes to returning to work the priorities for most people are getting your childcare in place and agreeing a date and any changes to your working arrangement with your employer – what else is there? It may be as simple as that, but as Catherine Oliver, author of the new Amazon bestselling book…
It’s not excessive, it’s time to deliver better maternity pay
It’s such an incredible shame to have to read about a potential leader of the Conservative Party telling the media that she feels maternity pay is excessive and that people should exercise more personal responsibility.