Whilst having a baby is an exciting time for most families, some births don’t always go to plan leading to complications that require neonatal intervention and care.  It has been reported that there are 700,000 babies admitted to neonatal care each year. New parents face horrendous fear and anxiety about the health and welfare of their newborn baby, including how long they will require neonatal care for. This is often compounded with the additional stress and concerns over their jobs and money.

No parent should have to worry about this at such a difficult time.  

Up until now there has been limited financial relief for parents whose child requires neonatal care. In some instances neonatal care often extends outside the terms of statutory paternity leave currently set at 2 weeks. More often than not, those individuals faced with a newborn baby requiring neonatal care will depend on the kindness and sympathy of their employers. Whilst it is hoped most employers would be understanding of the circumstances, this is not guaranteed.

The long awaited Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 has now been passed, which has created some financial security for those parents who find themselves in this situation. The Act allows the parents of a new born baby requiring neonatal care after their birth to take up to 12 weeks paid leave, in addition to other leave entitlement such as maternity and paternity leave. The law applies to parents of babies who spend at least 1 week in neonatal unit for babies born prematurely or with medical conditions. The financial rate is similar to the other statutory services available to new parents.

At Switalskis we are pleased that positive steps have been taken by the government to help so many families who find themselves in this situation. It is hoped that this new statute will provide some security and comfort to families who have a child in neonatal care.