Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust signs up to ‘Employer with Heart’ Charter
The Smallest Things are thrilled to announce that Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, which employs 6500 staff, has signed up to The Smallest Things ‘Employer with Heart’ charter by amending its maternity and paternity leave policies, meaning that mothers and fathers who work at the organisation will be entitled to extra paid leave after a premature birth and parents will be supported when returning to work following the birth of a premature baby.
The Employer with Heart charter was launched by The Smallest Things in February 2018, asking employers to extend paid leave for staff whose babies are born premature. Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust joins a growing list of employers supporting staff following the premature birth of a baby and we’re delighted to add them to our Employer with Heart Hall of Fame.
“We are delighted that Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has signed up to our Employer with Heart charter and will give parents of babies born prematurely the extra time they need. Visiting a fragile baby on a neonatal unit for weeks, sometimes months, is terrifying and shouldn’t be counted as maternity or paternity leave. This important change means that parents who work at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust can focus on spending precious time with their premature babies without worrying about work or pay.”
“With 37,000 babies born prematurely every year and as a Trust that cares for so many families in this position, we understand how difficult and worrying it can be. We want to take any additional anxiety, including financial, away from colleagues so they can fully concentrate on their baby and being a family.”