Staff Handbook UK

You are entitled to a maximum of 6½ hours’ time off for each appointment, but you are expected to take only as much time off as is necessary in the specific circumstances. You must present a written request for the time off to your line manager as early as possible. Where requested by your line manager, you must produce a signed declaration to confirm that you meet the qualifying relationship criteria set out above, stating the date and time of the appointment, and to confirm that the appointment has been made on the advice of a registered medical practitioner, midwife or nurse, or by or at the request of the adoption agency. Should you wish to attend more than two ante-natal/adoption appointments, or if you wish to have longer than the maximum 6½ hours permitted, you should consider using some of your holiday entitlement. You would need to follow the normal procedure for booking holiday as set out in the “Holidays” section of this handbook. 11. Adoption Members of staff who are adopting a child have a number of entitlements outlined below. Adoption Appointments You are entitled to paid time off work to attend up to 5 adoption appointments made by or at the request of the adoption agency. You are entitled to a maximum of 6½ hours’ time off for each appointment but you are expected to take only as much time off as is necessary in the specific circumstances. You should book this time off in advance with your line manager. When requesting time off you may be required to show an appointment card or some other document showing that an appointment has been made. Adoption Leave If you will be the primary carer and are newly matched with a child for adoption by an approved adoption agency (i.e. not your stepchild or foster child) you are eligible for up to 52 weeks’ adoption leave. N.B. If you are the partner of the primary carer (i.e. the person who will be taking adoption leave) you may be entitled to 2 weeks’ paternity leave instead of adoption leave (See below). In order to take adoption leave, you must notify your line manager of your intention to take adoption leave within 7 days of being notified by the adoption agency that you have been matched with a child for adoption, unless this is not reasonably practicable. The notification must include the date when the child is expected to be placed and the date on which the leave will start. You should provide your line manager with a copy of the ‘matching certificate’ from

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