Until this year, there have been no additional leave provisions for working parents with babies in neonatal care meaning many parents had been forced to use maternity, paternity, or adoption leave, take holiday or unpaid leave, or even quit their jobs or return to work whilst their baby remained in neonatal care.
From 6 April 2025, this changed with the implementation of new statutory entitlements which are expected to benefit around 60,000 new parents. With the introduction of the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 and accompanying Regulations, the government has introduced a day-one statutory right to neonatal care leave and pay. In this article, associate Julia Nwaneke explains what this means for charities and advises them on next steps. Read on
