Single parents are being left behind by Jersey’s “one-size-fits-all” family leave laws that fail to reflect modern family structures, according to a charity leader – who called for parental leave to be transferrable to another caregiver in the absences of a second parent.
Family Nursing and Home Care CEO Rosemarie Finley said that Jersey’s current legislation leaves no room for “flexibility” to accommodate families with unique circumstances.
Her comments came during a hearing before a panel of politicians currently reviewing the island’s family friendly legislation.
Mrs Finley highlighted gaps in the law – particularly for single parents, families with twins or triplets, and those with children requiring specialised care.
She said the current legislation follows a “one size fits all” approach and that “the consequences of not being flexible enough can be significant for families”.
The charity CEO explained that single-parent families are unable to fully benefit from the current legislation.
In Jersey, families with two parents are each entitled to 52 weeks of parental leave, amounting to 104 weeks in total.
However, no extensions or additions of parental leave are made available to single parents under these circumstances – so they are only entitled to 52 weeks in total.
Mrs Finley is therefore calling for parental leave to be “transferable to another carer” in the absence of a second parent.
The charity CEO also urged the government to consider adopting a more “flexible” approach when offering support to those with more unique circumstances – such as families with twins or children with severe disabilities.
Mrs Finley said that the extra level of care required by parents and carers under these circumstances is currently not taken into account.
She added that she was disappointed to hear that the current legislation doesn’t provide additional support or extended parental leave in these cases, and called for “responsive” and “personalised” support to meet each family’s specific needs and circumstances.
Mrs Finley also highlighted the extra costs associated with families who are under more strain, particularly those who need to outsource specialist equipment and support due to health or special needs conditions.
She acknowledged the existence of an allocated government fund for families in these circumstances, but said that the “long” application process means that many families approach charities for urgent funding.
“Sometimes government led decision making needs to be quicker and more agile so the funds can be utilised for those with specialist needs,” she added.
Mrs Finely argued that the amount paid to parents on leave is not enough, noting that most parents feel unable to utilise the 52 weeks parental leave available to them.
“It’s not just about giving financial support, it’s about giving a plethora of different choices,” she said.
The charity CEO called for the introduction of assisted or free nursery fees.
“There are sufficient nursery places for those in preschool years, but the cost is enormous,” she said.
Mrs Finley also raised concerns about the low birth rates in Jersey, and acknowledged the facts that are deterring young islanders from starting a family.
“We don’t want a society without 25% of our population being young people and children,” she said.
“It’s important for us to be forward thinking and balanced as an island. We need to help.”
