Flexibility eludes working parents

June 12, 2003 in Disability, Family support

More than two-thirds of parents of disabled children are unaware of
their rights to work more flexibly, according to new
research.

Also, 40 per cent of employers have no flexible working
arrangements and 37 per cent of parents of disabled children think
their employer would be unsympathetic to a request for flexibility
despite legislation in the parents’ favour introduced in
April.

The survey was carried out by Contact a Family, a charity for the
families of disabled children.

Although 77 per cent of parents said flexible working would help
them combine employment with looking after their child, 59 per cent
said they would be tentative about asking their employer about more
flexible working.

Contact a Family has produced a free fact sheet to make more
parents of disabled children aware of their new and existing
employment rights.

– The fact sheet, called Moving into Work, is available
from the charity from tel: 0808 808 3555.