Parents Have a Right to Care says Dr Brian Iddon MP

Dr Brian Iddon MP for Bolton South East has backed a campaign by children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent and signed an Early Day Motion calling for parents of children with cancer to have the right to care. Dr Iddon has teamed up with the charity to push for the full package of rights to paid time off, career breaks and flexible working that these parents so desperately need if their child is diagnosed with cancer.

CLIC Sargent has found that parents across the UK are struggling to balance work with caring for a child with cancer. The charity’s study, from December 2006, revealed that 49 percent of parents were using their holiday allowance or sick leave to care for their child. In many cases, one or both parents lost out on career opportunities and in some cases even lost their jobs completely.

Dr Iddon, MP for Bolton South East, said

“Parents can expect leave and relevant pay when their child is first born, but these same rights are not available when their child is ill and needs it most. Parents should have a right to care and so I’m backing the CLIC Sargent campaign. I have signed an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling for parents of children with cancer to receive the full workplace rights they need.

Dr Carole Easton, Chief Executive of CLIC Sargent, says

“On behalf of families of children with cancer, we are hugely grateful to Dr Iddon MP for his support of our campaign. A diagnosis of cancer is extremely traumatic for a child and their family – to say nothing of the additional financial stress that goes with it. Travel to specialist hospitals, accommodation, food, clothes and childcare for other children all add up to increased debt or many families. At this difficult time a family needs the full support of their employer. We firmly believe that parents should not have to make the choice between caring for their child and the financial well-being of their family. Earlier this year we introduced our own carers policy enabling those with caring commitments to take emergency leave, planned carers leave or career breaks, dependent on their needs. We are now urging other employers and the Government to ensure that a range of options are available for parents in a caring role.”

2. For more information about the “Parents have a Right to Care” campaign  please contact the CLIC Sargent Campaigns Team on 0208 752 2888