THOUSANDS of families with premature or sick babies will now benefit from additional paid leave thanks to a new law in place.
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act, which was introduced to the UK Parliament by SNP MP Stuart McDonald, has now come into force with 60,000 families each year set to benefit from the new entitlement it offers.
Parents of premature or seriously ill newborns will be entitled to paid leave from day one, helping them to spend crucial time with their children as they receive neonatal care.
McDonald said the law will deliver "lasting change" for families.
“I’m incredibly proud to have introduced this legislation which is now coming into effect - delivering real and lasting change for tens of thousands of families each year," he said.
Speaking to The National back in 2022, McDonald said he wanted to ensure a commitment never delivered on by the Tories came to fruition.
The bill was supported by Bliss, the leading charity for premature and sick babies.
The act allows families to extend their parental leave by one week for each week their baby is in care, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.
Previously, many working families have had to return to work while their babies are sick in hospital.
It applies to parents of babies who are admitted into neonatal care up to 28 days old and who have a continuous stay in hospital of seven full days or longer.
