Covid-19: Maternity and Parental Leave

The issue has affected her family, with her sister-in-law struggling to breastfeed during lockdown. A survey of over 1,200 mothers found that 40% had a positive experience while 30% struggled and felt isolated. Around 70.3% attributed their decision to stop breastfeeding to lack of face-to-face support. The situation worsened existing inequalities for Black, Asian, and minority ethnic people, those in poverty, and small flats without gardens.

The system of support for maternity and parental leave did not work well even before the pandemic, with inconsistencies between employed and self-employed parents causing some to miss out on vital support. The Government's response has been inadequate, leaving many families in hardship due to the pandemic.

Ms Reeves highlighted the difficulties faced by new mothers during the lockdown, including isolation, lack of social interaction, and reduced access to healthcare services. She cited a 'Babies in Lockdown' report which found that 68% of parents felt their unborn babies or young children were affected negatively. She shared stories from constituents who experienced issues like missed health appointments, delayed medical treatments due to long waiting lists, and severe post-natal depression.

Robinson paid tribute to the Petitions Committee for conducting an inquiry on maternity and parental leave during the pandemic, noting that almost a quarter of a million people signed the e-petition. He criticized the Government's response as insufficient and tone deaf to the genuine aspirations expressed by mothers, calling for more support for families currently pregnant or in early stages of maternity leave.

He raised concerns about childcare during lockdown for children born during or just before it, the challenges faced by self-employed individuals regarding nursery places, and the need to address abuses in how companies handle maternity leave suspensions.

He discussed the challenges faced by new parents during the pandemic, including difficulties accessing childcare and support services. He noted that some have had no choice but to take unpaid leave or rely on furlough, which he considers insufficient. Madders stressed the need for continued social interaction through baby groups and family visits to benefit both parents and infants.

She expressed concerns about extending paid maternity leave by three months, arguing that it does not align with the statutory purpose of maternal health recovery and could make women more vulnerable in the workplace. She suggested embedding flexible working practices instead.

Parents, especially new parents during the pandemic, have faced significant challenges. Maria Miller highlighted the lack of access to childcare and the difficulties for businesses in complying with legal obligations regarding pregnant women and those on maternity leave. She praised the government's efforts to ensure free childcare hours but criticized employers for not providing full pay as required by law. The MP also called for better protection for pregnant women, including preventing redundancy during pregnancy and up to six months after return from maternity leave.

The Government's response to the recommendations on maternity and parental leave has been insufficient, particularly in extending maternity leave. The UK is ranked among the least family-friendly countries by UNICEF, and pregnant women have faced reduced income, lost leave rights, and limited access to healthcare services due to the pandemic. A survey of nearly 20,000 mothers found that 46% were being made redundant because of lack of childcare provision during the pandemic.

Expressed appreciation for the debate on extending maternity pay during lockdown, acknowledged the importance of social contact for new parents, highlighted existing provisions such as paid maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, and annual leave, and mentioned the Prime Minister's review focusing on health outcomes for disadvantaged babies.

She emphasized the importance of supporting women through pregnancy and advocated for neonatal leave to be brought forward by two years. She also highlighted the inequality between adoptive parents and birth parents, particularly regarding access to maternity allowance and parental leave/pay. Asked the Minister to give way, seeking further clarification or response on issues raised during the debate.

Thanked the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North and highlighted the challenges faced by new parents during the pandemic, including social distancing measures and reduced support from health visitors. Raised concerns about the lack of reimbursement for nursery schools' covid costs and asked what conversations the Minister has had with trusts regarding partners attending maternity scans.

He thanked the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North for securing the debate and highlighted the need for greater flexibility in maternity and paternity leave due to the pressures of lockdown. He mentioned over 330,000 babies born during lockdown facing isolation from extended family support and difficulties with health visitor access. Loughton cited a report showing that almost seven in ten parents felt covid changes were affecting their unborn baby or child, impacting especially lower-income and BAME communities.

Hobhouse urged the Government to reconsider their response and extend parental leave and pay during the pandemic. She highlighted that UK's parental leave ranking was 34 out of 41 OECD countries, emphasizing the unaffordability for many parents due to unpaid sections. Hobhouse also discussed the importance of mental health checks for new mothers and advocated for additional targeted mental health support. The unpaid part of maternity leave is not generous and remains unaffordable for many.