Parents and carers

Each year we run a spotlight day to focus on an issue that affects parent and carers.

We provide briefings and materials to help reps and activists organise a campaign event in their store.

This year the theme is Stand Up For Carers, raising awareness of the rights carers have at work. 

Visit the campaign

As of 6 April 2024, all members can now ask their employer for a permanent change to their contract from their first day of employment.

This means that from day one, anyone can ask their employer for a change in their working hours and the employer should carefully consider the request.

Find out more

Our guide to maternity, paternity and carers rights provides basic and easy to understand information.

Amongst our guides is a Maternity Rights Calendar, which flags up important dates during pregnancy.

Read more here

To help you further understand your rights, Maternity Action has developed three short videos about rights at work during pregnancy. 

Watch the series here

We’ve produced a factsheet in order to help you understand what happens with your pension contributions when you're on maternity leave and what it means for your State Pension.

Read it here

The Fashion and Textile Children’s Trust (FTCT) gives financial grants to the children of parents and carers who work in the UK fashion and textile industry*. Their grants can help ease the financial strain of redundancy, furlough or reduced working hours by covering the cost of essential items for children in the family.

If your children are aged between 0-18 years and you are struggling financially to make ends meet, you might be able to apply for a grant from FTCT.

*'Fashion and textile' covers a broad range of businesses including clothing, sportswear and footwear shops, soft furnishing shops and supermarkets that sell clothing.

Find out more >>