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‘PARENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO CARE’ SAYS LOCAL MP
Today, 15th October, Dr Ian Gibson MP for Norwich North has backed a campaign by children’s cancer charity, CLIC Sargent and tabled an Early Day Motion calling for parents of children with cancer to have the right to care. The MP, who is concerned about the rights of parents in and around Norwich has teamed up with the charity to push for the full package of rights to paid time off, career breaks and flexible working that these parents so desperately need if their child is diagnosed with cancer.
CLIC Sargent has found that parents across the UK are struggling to balance work with caring for a child with cancer. The charity’s study, from December 2006, revealed that 91 per cent of UK families surveyed had to change their working patterns when their child was diagnosed with cancer, with 49 per cent using their own holiday allowance or sick leave to care for their child. In many cases, one or both parents lost out on career opportunities, and in some cases, even lost their jobs completely.
Dr Gibson, MP for Norwich North, says: "Parents can expect leave and relevant pay when their child is first born, but these same rights are not available when their child needs it most. Parents in Norwich should have a right to care and so I’m backing CLIC Sargent’s campaign. I have tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling for parents of children with cancer to receive the full workplace rights they need – and I hope my parliamentary colleagues will join me and sign this motion.”
Dr Carole Easton, Chief Executive of CLIC Sargent, says: “Ian Gibson MP is a fantastic parliamentary champion for children and young people with cancer, and we are hugely grateful for his support of this campaign. A diagnosis of cancer is extremely traumatic for a child and his or her family – to say nothing of the additional financial stress that goes with it. Travel to specialist hospitals, accommodation, food, clothes, and childcare for other children all add up to increased debt for many families. At this difficult time a family needs the full support of their employer.”
Dr Easton continues: “As the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity we firmly believe that parents should not have to make the choice between caring for their child and the financial well-being of their family. Earlier this year we introduced our own carers policy enabling those with caring commitments to take emergency leave, planned carers leave, or career breaks, dependent on their needs.And we are now urging other employers and the Government to ensure that a range of options are available for parents in a caring role.”
For more information about the ‘Parents Have a Right to Care’ campaign log on to www.clicsargent.org.uk or contact the CLIC Sargent Campaigns Team on 020 8752 2888 / campaigns@clicsargent.org.uk.
Work Care Balance Survey:
CLIC Sargent surveyed 60 families coping with childhood cancer (most with at least one employed parent) and found that parents use a range of coping strategies to balance work and care:
- 91% of families with at least one employed parent changed their working patterns when their child was diagnosed with cancer
- 49% of these families used their own holiday allowance or sick leave to care for their child.
- 69% of families felt that they had ‘lost out’ in terms of income and work prospects
- In some families, one or both parents had to give up work altogether to care for their child with cancer
- There are gender differences in the coping strategies used, with women more likely to use leave or give up work altogether
- 43% of all families reported a higher level of debt after their child’s diagnosis with cancer
For a PDF copy of the report, please log onto: www.clicsargent.org.uk/Getinvolved/Campaignwithus/Parentsrighttocare
About CLIC Sargent:
- CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity, www.clicsargent.org.uk.
- Every day in the UK, 10 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer. CLIC Sargent acts as a lifeline keeping families together when the unimaginable happens. It provides clinical, psychosocial, emotional and financial care and support to them and their families.