“We are delighted that Wealden District Council has signed up to our Employer with Heart charter and will give parents of babies born prematurely the extra time they need. Being a parent on a neonatal unit for weeks, or even months, can be a traumatic experience and shouldn’t be counted as maternity or paternity leave. This important change means that parents who work at Wealden District Council can focus on spending precious time with their premature babies without worrying about work or pay.”

“As an employer Wealden District Council has always put staff health and wellbeing at the top of its agenda and as part of this we had recently introduced a new policy focused on supporting staff that are going through miscarriage, stillbirth, fertility treatment or neonatal care, recognising that this can be an emotionally challenging and physically draining experience. We felt that having a specific policy would ensure that staff are aware of their rights and the support and guidance that is available to them. As part of the policy development we came across the Employer with Heart Charter and decided to sign up to demonstrate our commitment to supporting parents through these difficult circumstances. We are proud to display the logo alongside our bronze Wellbeing at Work Award which we received earlier this year.”