Catherine's blog - Three men, and three babies!

In April this year, after listening to colleagues' suggestions, the Group amended its paternity leave and pay scheme for eligible colleagues, from two weeks leave at normal pay to four weeks leave at normal pay (Statutory Paternity Leave is two weeks and Statutory Paternity Pay is currently £172.48 per week).

Catherine , our Reward and Wellbeing Specialist, chatted to the first three beneficiaries of the Group’s revised paternity leave and pay scheme, which now offers four weeks’ paid leave to eligible colleagues, to see how they found it and how they got on. Here's what they shared:

I’ve been told I was the first to benefit from the amended paternity pay and leave scheme. After four boys, my wife and I recently celebrated the arrival of our fifth child, a little girl. So I have experienced paternity leave of two weeks and can say it goes by in the blink of the eye and is often spent welcoming visitors who have to come see the baby. You end up feeling like you haven’t spent enough time with the baby yourself and before you know it, you’re back at work feeling like you haven’t been off at all! This time, knowing I had four weeks off, just took that pressure away and I feel I actually got to spend time with my daughter – and she knows me! I could support my partner more, help with childcare for our young family, and be there for the boys and do the school runs. Being around more has felt really nice as a dad, it hasn’t felt as rushed. I think this is a really good thing Progress Housing Group has done, allowing dads to be a full-time dad for a change. And it does make a positive difference for the dad - and the family.

 

I was pleasantly pleased and surprised to find out we are now entitled to four weeks off with normal pay. It was a real help as my wife had to have an emergency c-section and would have struggled if I had only had two weeks off - I would have needed to use some holidays to help out. It really helps having extended paternity leave. It gives the dad time to gain confidence and skills in his new role as dad, and helps the mum out a lot." "Getting the news of paternity leave increasing from two weeks to four weeks meant I would have more time to adapt and help out at home, which made me feel more relaxed about becoming a new parent. While adjusting to parenthood, time flew by and that extra two weeks at home really benefited me by providing me with bonding time with my little girl and I was able to support my partner while getting to grips with having a new baby.

 

Getting the news of paternity leave increasing from two weeks to four weeks meant I would have more time to adapt and help out at home, which made me feel more relaxed about becoming a new parent. While adjusting to parenthood, time flew by and that extra two weeks at home really benefited me by providing me with bonding time with my little girl and I was able to support my partner while getting to grips with having a new baby

 

 

We wish all the best to our three colleagues and their families!

 

Paternity leave and pay at Progress Housing Group is open to the partner of the mother or person taking adoption leave (including same sex partnerships) as long as they expect to have responsibility for the child’s upbringing – so paternity leave could equally apply to a woman in these circumstances. 

 

You can find out more on our work for us pages on our website - click here.