Flexible Families Campaign

Join the Mothers' Union Flexible Families Campaign which calls for an extension in the right to request flexible working to all parents of children under 18. Order a postcard to send to your MP!!

More and more parents are working these days, both mothers and fathers, single people and couples. This means that families can be easily overstretched trying to manage their work within the family and within the wider economy.

Flexible working is one tool for easing the tension on parents. Yet, the right to request flexible working is currently only available to parents of children under 6, or under 18 if the child has a disability.

It is time to extend the right to request flexible working
to all parents of children under 18.

All children are in need of support from and quality time with their parents. Older children warrant their parents support as much as small children and babies, if not more. Whereas a baby or a small child tends to adapt easily to being cared for by new people, the same cannot be said for teenagers who are experiencing the transitional difficulties such as puberty, changing from childhood to adulthood, changing from primary to secondary schools, trying to find out and understand their own identity.
MU member, Battersea, UK

Flexible Working Explained
Flexible working provides a work pattern to suit both the employer and the worker. Although some employers run their own flexible working schemes, it was not until April 2003 that parents of children under the age of 6 (or of disabled children under the age of 18) were legally granted the right to request flexible working. This means that these parents can ask for changes to the hours and times they work, as well as the place they work from. Employers can refuse requests on legitimate business grounds.

Benefits of Extending the Right to Request Flexible Working to All Parents
All children need emotional and financial support from their parents, and all parents need the opportunities to exercise real choice in bringing up their families. The right for all parents to request flexible working is not a miracle solution, however society, families and relationships can but only benefit from this small change.

Such flexibility for families would mean:

Recognition
of parents unique contribution to society
of the needs of older children and teenagers

Adaptability
as children grow up
as family circumstances change

Balance
between parents caring and formal work
between the needs of families and of businesses

Equality
for fathers who assume a caring role
for mothers if they return to work

Strength
in the parent/child relationship
in relationships between mothers and father

Get Active!

Here are some ideas for raising local support to take a little bit of tension out of family life! More information can be found in the campaign documents below.

• Write to your MP - write a letter, send a campaign postcard
• Go to your MPs surgery - ask them to support the campaign
• Allocate some MU branch/deanery/diocesan time to the campaign tell everyone you know about the campaign
• Hold a church service/prayer meeting raise support in your local church
• Raise local support hold a community meeting
• Involve your local media hold an event to advertise the issue of flexibility
• Keep up-to-date with the national campaign check the website
• Tell the MU Policy staff at Mary Sumner House about your ideas let the whole MU know
• Don't hesitate to ask - get in touch if you want any advice or information

Please contact the Social Policy team at Mary Sumner House, 24 Tufton Street, London, SW1P 3RB, tel: 0207 222 5533, email: policy@themothersunion.org with any information on your local events or for any assistance.