How might I go about persuading my employer to consider offering childcare support?

There is a body of evidence which shows that employers who offer specific leave options, combined with financial support for those with caring responsibilities, experience lower turnover of staff and better rates of recruitment. Employers are looking for ways of ensuring that key staff are recruited and retained by their organisations. You could look online for useful information on the business case for family-friendly policies. The TUC is constantly updating the information and useful case studies it provides on supporting trade unions and employers to develop policies to support a better work/life balance. This information can be found on the TUC’s Changing Times website.

The TUC and most trade unions can supply you with leaflets and booklets which describe the law covering paid and unpaid family leave including parental leave, flexible working, paternity/maternity support leave, maternity and adoption leave and rights for carers. However, your union may well already have negotiated better family-friendly policies in other workplaces, so it would be worth investigating if this is the case to help you to develop the particular package that you want your employer to agree to.

The TUC has recently produced a guide to help you to work with your employer to set up childcare support for the workforce. This is a comprehensive guide that will take you through the steps you need to take in order to negotiate childcare with your employer.