Maternity Allowance / Leave

[littlesteps14]

Good evening everyone,

I am looking for some advice from childminders who have been here / had experience of childminders who have.

I am currently pregnant with my second child due early June 2015, and trying to decide how much time to take off work. I want to keep clients happy but dont want to jeapordize new baby settling and older child (who will be 20 months) getting settled with the new situation also. What do you think is a reasonable amount of time to take off?

Also, it is fantastic I will be eligible for 9 months of maternity allowance (£27 per day) and if I work a bit they can pro rata it, for example if I work 1 day a week they will still give me allowance for the other 4. However, is there any point working one day if I earn less than that £27?

Any advice is welcome as parents are wanting to know how much time I am taking off.

Thank you

Little Steps

[Hebs]

You can only work for 10 days before your MA stops (keeping in touch days)
And even 1 hour or as many as 8 hours is classed as 1 day....

I took 2 years out

[littleDs31]

Are we talking statutory maternity pay here?

[littlesteps14]

Thank you for your replies.

Yes statutory maternity allowance (138 per week / 27 per day).

If you took 2 years off I presume you just essentially started childminding from scratch?

Thank you

[Hebs]

We don't qualify for SMP so we can apply for maternity allowance if you've paid your class 2 NI

[littleDs31]

Oh right do you know if this applies to adoption? Council are telling me I'm not entitled to stat adoption pay as I'm self employed. Do you know if they have an adoption allowance? Sorry to jump on your thread, hope it's ok?

[munch149]

I took 9 months in the end and glad I did. Planned on only taking 6 weeks but lost children for various reasons. This time I'm taking 6 months to coincide with my mindees parents maternity leave do I go back the same time as them. Never heard if pro rataing it. It's 10 keeping in touch days

[RachaelStevens]

I started my maternity leave start of December for 20th January baby. I found out I was pregnant and then had my main income family of 3 give me notice all in the same weekend. Nevertheless I am taking full 9 months on maternity allowance to enjoy my newborn. I think its best to think of your family and not that of our clients as they don't always think of us.