Coronavirus: Calls for extended parental leave and emergency childcare funding dismissed by Government

The committee's report, published in July, made several recommendations on steps the Government should take to support new parents, including extending parental leave and pay for families by three months during the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring that the childcare sector has sufficient funding to provide the care needed for parents to return to work, both in the short- and long-term. The report was the result of an intensive inquiry, following an e-petition receiving over 226,000 signatures.

However, in a response published today, the Government stated that it is ‘still not persuaded that there is a need to extend entitlements to paid Maternity Leave at this time’ and hopes that ‘employers will encourage their staff to make full use of the suite of entitlements to time off work that is available to them’.

It added, ‘We believe that, for the vast majority of parents, the current arrangements have been sufficiently generous to cater for the variety of circumstances that new parents have found themselves in as a result of the pandemic.’

It did however agree to the Committee’s recommendation to provide an update on discussions with the baby group sector, and indicated they would be happy to host a meeting with groups in this sector to better understand how they can be supported to help parents return to work – particularly when parents have experienced mental health issues as a result of Covid-19 and lockdown.

Catherine McKinnell MP, chair of the Petitions Committee, expressed her disappointment and said that the response would come as a ‘hammer blow’ to new parents across the country who need real targeted support, now. 

She said, ‘In this response, the Government have not only outright rejected a plea for maternity leave to be extended amidst the pandemic, but have also turned down a whole range of entirely reasonable, and detailed, proposals that would have lessened the impact of this terrible pandemic on new parents.

 ‘The notion that current Government support to new parents during the pandemic is sufficient, when a quarter of a million people affected have signed this parliamentary petition, ignores the distressing reality expressed by many.’

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said, ‘It's incredibly disappointing - and frankly, insulting to the many thousands of parents who signed the petition on parental leave - that the government has seen fit to issue such a dismissive response to the Petitions Committee's important report.

‘New parents have been almost entirely overlooked during this period and the Government's decision not to extend parental leave or take any definitive action to ensure that those on leave are adequately supported, is wholly indefensible.

‘Worst still, the Government has disregarded the many other very valid recommendations made by the committee, including the call to ensure that the childcare sector is adequately funded in the short- and long-term to ensure that those parents who want to return to work are able to do so.’

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), said, 'It is extremely disappointing but sadly not surprising that the Government will not take on board the Petitions Committee’s recommendations pertaining to the childcare sector.

'For childcare businesses, sustainability is still a huge issue as their income is low while their costs have risen. NDNA has been calling on the Government for weeks now to recognise this particular challenge for nurseries, many of which remained open during lockdown to support key workers. This petition has been signed by 226,000 people and it is extremely disappointing that they just have not been listened to.

'Not only is childcare vital for children’s development, it’s also fundamental for the economic recovery as parents return to their workplaces. We will continue to campaign for a recovery and transformation fund for the sector which otherwise could see mass nursery closures. In the long term, ministers also need to recognise that inadequate funding rates for childcare places must be addressed.'

The Petitions Committee said that it is pushing for a Parliamentary debate on this issue as soon as possible so that MPs from all parties can put their concerns on this matter directly to the Government on behalf of petitioners.