Babies in the workplace.

I so agree, Iam

We all contribute through taxes to public services. Childcare should be part of that. Research is clear, high quality early years care leads to better outcomes for children. Those children will be our doctors, carers, scientists, inventors and more so it’s our investment in a positive future.

Mollygo, of course, yes, the point of having an inclusive society is to support each other. So childless people will support children through their taxes - you can't opt out of paying for schools just because you don't need one for your child. Nor can you can opt out of contributing to Cancer treatment because you are lucky enough not to need it.
And yes, high quality child care should truly be available to everyone.

I think it's one of those things like healthcare, or social care of the elderly, that we should all pay for, in the hope that we won't need it, but in the expectation that we might, and if we do it will be covered.

I think that every able bodied adult should be taxed (or obliged to contribute in other ways) from the end of their education to the beginning of their pension, and in return have the use of things like libraries, roads, transport (which I would also subsidise) as well as education, health, access to social housing and a decent pension free at point of use. Childcare would be part of that package.

Fair enough, unfortunately not everyone would live to claim a pension, fortunately not everyone needs social care or a lot of expensive health treatment etc, but those who do should not have to worry about paying for it.

There could be solutions found for people who think there is no point in having children if they are in nursery or playgroups for a couple of years. They could volunteer in the evenings or something. The detail would need to be sorted out, but the principle seems to me fair. From each according to ability, and to each according to need. Access to the benefits of living in a first world country would not depend on income, as it would be entirely contributions based (however that worked out), but taxes would be based on income, so that those on higher income paid more.

Iam64
* The cost of child care is huge. It should be subsidised, with high quality care available pre school, the before and after school and school holiday provision available, again, subsidised.*
Agree, not just for MPs either. For many parents, including me, childcare can take up an enormous amount of earnings and although maternity or even paternity leave is now available at the start, paid leave doesn’t continue.
Where will the money for subsidies come from? If it’s tax payers, what about childless people whose taxes will contribute? Will it be obligatory for all jobs or just MPs?

Very unpleasant OP. A woman’s place is in the world. It’s 2022 not 1922.

MP’s don’t get cover for mat leave, so keep working through pregnancy, then take the infant with them to support bonding and breast feeding. They should be able to vote remotely, it’s nonsense to have to stay to the early hours to walk through a lobby.

The cost of child care is huge. It should be subsidised, with high quality care available pre school, the before and after school and school holiday provision available, again, subsidised.

Gagajo

I agree with you, I should have put a label of "sarcasm on"

I'm not sure where people think the option is for single parents not to work.
Where would the money come from to allow someone to stay home?
The job centre? The clue there is in the name.

Daisend1

How long is a child a baby ?For myself not long enough.I cherished every moment my two noisy little mites were totally dependent on me.
I was more than willing to sacrifice my independence by giving up a well paid job to work for less which I did. giving me more time with my children .What was more important ? than sharing a time in my and my children's lives (that could never be recaptured) for the sake of a job.?

Dangerous. If you'd divorced, you'd have been parachuted into poverty.

Hithere

What if a woman would put her work first, family second?
That's inconceivable and unacceptable

Why? Men do it.

Perhaps if men did it less, we'd have a more equal society.

What if a woman would put her work first, family second?
That's inconceivable and unacceptable

Agreed, Hithere.

One size does not fit all, whether that is choices about working or some workplaces being different from others. Nobody should be pushing their experiences or viewpoints onto others.

MissA, the bereavement situation is a disgrace. A friend of mine was full-time carer for his mother for years, and when she died he had three weeks to sort everything out and start applying for work, whilst simultaneously grieving for the loss of his mum. Heartless.

Not a choice I was given.
I was nowhere near ready to go back to work.
I had to cut short the counselling I was having, push my boy from pillar to post.
Those are the sorts of issues that need sorting.

daisend1

What is important for each woman is different

For you, you chose your kids vs work

For others, it could be making both compatible

When a father chooses his job and his family has to adapt to it - society accepts it as "providing for his his family"

When a mother chooses to make both priorities compatibility- she is shamed for it

My gp was written to by the dwp to tell him not to issue another sick certificate, and the one which was still valid was overridden.
Again - it just opens up and exposes the huge gap, and widens it

Allsorts
Agree 100%%%%.

I haven't had the option of giving up work, though.
I couldn't even mourn the loss of my only child.
I was sent straight off to the job centre to sign on.

Some people breastfeed until their child is at school these days.

How long is a child a baby ?For myself not long enough.I cherished every moment my two noisy little mites were totally dependent on me.
I was more than willing to sacrifice my independence by giving up a well paid job to work for less which I did. giving me more time with my children .What was more important ? than sharing a time in my and my children's lives (that could never be recaptured) for the sake of a job.?

I wouldn't want my baby around somewhere with traces of cocaine here there and everywhere.

To be fair from what we are hearing I am not sure the HofC is a safe place for some adults.

bloody covid I hope you are okay
I agree with you MissA, flexibility needs to be there for lots of people. I think people overlook the complex situations a lot of people who are unemployed or economically inactive face.
I couldn't take Stella Creasy's baby into work either fwiw and neither would I want to as I don't think it is a safe environment for a child (or some adults to be perfectly honest )

I am really grumpy I am on day 10 of testing positive for covid.
I have just read the guardian article from Stella Creasy, she is so close but so far away at the same time.

Firstly if MPs are not permitted maternity leave then there has to be some system for them to work and care for their baby, otherwise you are discriminating against them as other women can take up to a year off.
Then if we want men to take equal responsibility they need to be given the ability to do so. So perhaps 2 years babycare leave to be shared equally amongst the parents might help. Of course at present even the one year isn't fully funded so only the well paid could afford to use it. Perhaps payment which could only be paid to a dad caring for a baby would help.
As for taking your baby to work, I see no reason to rule against that. It should of course be subjected to risk assessment and there will be jobs that can't do it. Perhaps those jobs should receive some financial help.