Staff Handbook

adoption leave. You/they would need to give notice to curtail that leave and the amount that is remaining would be available to be taken as SPL. N.B. the mother is legally required to take 2 weeks’ maternity leave immediately following the birth (compulsory maternity leave) and an adopter must take at least 2 weeks’ adoption leave before giving it up to be replaced with SPL. That is why there is up to 50 weeks’ SPL available. You and your partner should decide how you wish to share the SPL. You can then choose when you wish SPL to start by giving the appropriate notice (see below). SPL must end no later than the child’s first birthday or the first anniversary of the placement for adoption. Any untaken SPL would be lost. Notification You must give your line manager notice of your entitlement to SPL and of your intention to take it at least 8 weeks before you wish to take it. Your notice must be in writing and must contain each of the following: • your name; • the name of the other parent with whom the leave is to be shared; • the start and end dates of any maternity/adoption leave or pay, or maternity allowance, taken in respect of the child and the total amount of SPL available; • the date on which the child is expected to be born and the actual date of birth*, or the date on which you were notified of having been matched with the child for adoption, and the date of placement for adoption; • the amount of SPL you and your partner each intend to take; and • a non-binding indication of when you expect to take the leave. (* If the child has not yet been born, you should provide written confirmation of the actual date of birth as soon as reasonably practicable). In addition, you must provide your line manager with a written and signed declaration stating: • that you meet, or will meet, the eligibility conditions and are entitled to take SPL; • that the information you have provided is accurate; • if you are not the mother or adopter you must confirm that you are either the father of the child, or the spouse, civil partner or partner of the mother or adopter; and • that should you cease to be eligible you will immediately notify your line manager.

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