Oxfordshire charity welcomes bereavement leave after miscarriage
The Government is set to amend the Employment Rights Bill, entitling to bereavement leave if they lose a pregnancy before 24 weeks
A baby loss charity in Oxfordshire says a change to the law giving people time to grieve after a miscarriage has "been a long time coming".
Parents will be entitled to bereavement leave if they lose a pregnancy before 24 weeks, under new plans to be unveiled by the Government.
Ministers are set to amend the Employment Rights Bill so that people will be entitled to protected time off in the event of a pregnancy loss, regardless of the stage at which it happens.
Under current rules, parents are entitled to up to two weeks of bereavement leave if a child dies before they turn 18, or they experience a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Suzie Scofield who lives near Henley lost both of her twins – Rory died 21 weeks old and born one day short of 24 weeks, whilst Daniel was born at 29 weeks old but only lived for 18 hours.
She co-founded Footprints Baby Loss, which is an Oxfordshire-based charity supporting families who have experienced the death of a baby from a multiple pregnancy.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Ms Scofield said: “We really welcome the news. It just really validates the huge emotional impact that baby loss has at any gestation of loss, and it feels like it's been a long time coming.”
She added: “It feels really sad that parents who have lost a baby before 24 weeks haven't had the same kind of recognition as somebody who loses a baby after 24 weeks. At least now there is that formal recognition and that sort of validation.”
Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said that the change will give "people time away from work to grieve".
She also said: "No-one who is going through the heartbreak of pregnancy loss should have to go back to work before they are ready".
Amendments to the Employment Rights Bill, will see the right to "at least one week's leave" expanded to people who lose a pregnancy before 24 weeks.
The exact length of the leave will be specified in later legislation after a consultation.
The Bill already makes provision to expand bereavement leave, giving employees protected time off to grieve the loss of a loved one.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said that the amendments will offer "dignity and respect".
He said: "For many families, including mine, that have been affected by pregnancy loss, the decision around returning to work or taking sick leave to grieve properly can make an already painful experience even more difficult," he said.
"Grief doesn't follow a timetable, and expanding rights to leave for pregnancy loss will ensure every family gets the time they need to heal without worrying about their job."
Mr Reynolds says the Government will investigate the whole system for supporting new parents to take time off work when they have a baby, including maternity leave, paternity leave and shared arrangements.