Working grandparents to share parental leave and pay

I think it's a great idea. I'll be able to help DD when her baby is born (we don't know the sex!) She can't afford to take maternity leave for a full year. I can have the baby for a bit longer before he/she starts nursery.

I can't see employers being over the moon about this proposal!

I think it's because Grandparents now play such a big part of childcare.Eventually firms would get used to it, just as they did with maternity and paternity leave.

Well, of course they'll have to, but I know some small businesses struggle to cope with maternity/paternity leave as it is. It's fine for the big firms.

I cannot see how this works. Does it mean that the grandparents get a share of the parents statutory mat/pat leave, as paid by the parents employer? Or is it that working mums can pay their statutory mat/pat leave to retired grandparents to compensate them for loss of freedom.

That is still not leaving the mums with their new babies if still breast feeding them for the recomended six months.

It seems to defeat the object of mat leave which is letting mums spend time with their new babies.

Parents who want to return to work will be able to transfer some of their mat/pat leave to GP. This could mean GP's receive state payouts of £140 a week.
This would only be payable to GP's taking time out of work. They would be able to reclaim their jobs for up to 12 mths after baby is born.