Maternity and parental rights include maternity, paternity and unpaid paternity leave. 

Explore our resources, including reports and factsheets detailing working parents, maternity and paternity leave and other family-friendly policies.

All topics A-Z

Factsheets

Regularly-updated factsheets provide overviews and information on a topic

One Factsheet about Maternity and parental rights
Factsheet
Maternity, paternity and adoption rights
Introduces maternity and paternity rights, shared parental leave and adoption rights in the UK

Employment law

Practical resources to help you address employment law issues at work, and keep up with recent and pending legislation.

One Employment law about Maternity and parental rights
Employment law
Maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave and pay
Explore our collection of resources around parental rights, including commonly-asked questions and relevant case law, and download infographics on what you need to know about maternity leave and pay
For Members

Guides

Designed for practitioners, our guides provide recommendations and advice on how to apply good practice in the workplace.

One Guide about Maternity and parental rights
Guide
People manager guide: Family leave
Advice for managers on how they can help to manage maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, parental leave and parental bereavement leave
For Members

Reports

Research and analysis by experts from CIPD and partner organisations

Two Reports about Maternity and parental rights
Report
Focus on working parents
Why parental leave and childcare provision policies need to be reformed
Report
Managing extended paternity leave
This report provides insights and recommendations for employers, based on employees’ experience of taking and returning from extended paternity leave

Case studies

Learn from real world examples of how other people professionals and organisations work with the CIPD to approach key challenges and objectives.

Two Case studies about Maternity and parental rights
Case study
Case study: returning to work after maternity
This case study emphasises the importance of a strong professional network in rebuilding confidence when returning to work
Case study
Case study: returning to work after maternity and a period of self-employment
This Chartered Member describes the challenges of finding a suitable role

Tools

One Tools about Maternity and parental rights
Tools
Flowchart: Understand if neonatal care leave applies
Use this flowchart to assess if the employee is able to take neonatal care leave
For Members

Thought leadership

Insight and foresight from our experts in people and the world of work

Eight Thought leadership about Maternity and parental rights
Thought leadership
Briefing | How the Employment Rights Bill impacts flexible working and family rights
CIPD Policy and Practice Manager Claire McCartney discusses the UK Employment Rights Bill and its provisions on key areas of the CIPD’s policy work, such as flexible working, the ‘right to switch off’, family rights and protections and bereavement leave
Thought leadership
Childcare reforms: What is needed for a successful rollout?
James Cockett, Labour Market Economist at the CIPD, analyses the UK Government’s recent budget announcement on childcare reforms and the challenges in the sector
Thought leadership
Backing legal changes for greater support for employees with different caring responsibilities
Claire McCartney discusses the support CIPD has given to MPs with Private Members' Bills that aim to increase support for employees with caring responsibilities.
Thought leadership
The need to support employees through fertility treatment or losing a baby in pregnancy
In their joint article, Dr Jill Miller and Rachel Suff discuss our upcoming guidance for employers on how to support employees through fertility treatment or losing a baby in pregnancy
Thought leadership
Now is the time to extend statutory bereavement leave and pay
Claire McCartney and Lucy Herd, Jack's mother and prominent campaigner for Jack's Law, discuss the importance of extending statutory bereavement leave and pay for employees experiencing the loss of a close family member and ask what employers can do to best support them
Thought leadership
Organisations need to work with their carers to give them the support they need, now more than ever...
Claire McCartney explores the challenges working carers face and what employers, and government, can do to support them in the workplace
Thought leadership
Good Work Plan – consultation proposals to support families
Claire McCartney sets out the consultation into family friendly policies
Thought leadership
Is support for working parents hitting the right spot?
Rachel Suff assesses the research identifying a number of gaps in childcare provision and discusses attitudes and awareness of important new legislative changes to childcare offers coming into force in 2017

Bitesize research

Your regular overview of current research, inspiring insights and cutting-edge ideas in bitesize

Two Bitesize research about Maternity and parental rights
Bitesize research
How parenthood impacts job quality for mothers
An investigation reveals how mothers, particularly those with young children, face multiple disadvantages when it comes to job quality
For Members
Bitesize research
Making maternity policies fit for purpose
How does employment impact maternal mental health?
For Members

Policy engagements

Our calls for action.

Nine Policy engagements about Maternity and parental rights
Policy engagement
CIPD consultation response: Parental Leave and Pay Review: call for evidence
Our submission to the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Work and Pensions
Policy engagement
CIPD consultation response: Keep Britain Working review
Submission to the Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Business and Trade
Policy engagement
Women’s and reproductive health in the workplace
Read CIPD's open letter to Alison McGovern MP, Minister for Employment, Department for Work and Pensions
Policy engagement
Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Consultation
Read the CIPD's submission to the Northern Ireland Assembly's Department for the Economy
Policy engagement
Good work plan: proposals to support families – neonatal leave and pay
Read the CIPD's submission to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Policy engagement
Good work plan: proposals to support families – parental leave and pay
Read the CIPD's submission to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Policy engagement
Good work plan: proposals to support families – transparency of flexible working and family related leave and pay policies
Read the CIPD's submission to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Policy engagement
Pregnancy and maternity discrimination: extending redundancy protection for women and new parents
Read the CIPD’s submission to the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
Policy engagement
Pregnancy and maternity discrimination
Read the CIPD's response to the Women and Equality Select Committee Inquiry

Visit our
Learning shop

Choose from our extensive range of topics and learning options 

Find a course
Callout Image