Juggling work and home as a parent carer: how flexible working makes a difference

At Bolt Burdon Kemp (BBK), we know balancing work with the demands of family life can be challenging, especially when you’re a parent carer or managing other personal commitments. That’s why flexibility is at the heart of how we work.

Cheryl, one of our child brain injury solicitors, recently celebrated 20 years at BBK and reflects on her own experiences as a parent carer. Louise, our head of HR, shares insights into the firm’s flexible working culture and how it benefits everyone, not just parents. Together, we hope this blog sheds light on what good workplace support looks like and how BBK is leading the way.

Cheryl’s story: navigating parenthood and a demanding career

When I joined BBK in 2004, I was amazed at how progressive the firm’s flexible working policy was for the time. But it wasn’t until I became a parent carer that I truly understood its value.

In early 2022, my son’s nursery started reporting incidents of aggressive behaviour. Things escalated as he transitioned to primary school, leading to school refusal, escape attempts, exclusion, and assessments. Eventually, he was diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and dyspraxia.

The demands on my time were immense: attending countless school meetings, managing his needs at home and contending with his challenging behaviours. My son attends a mainstream school and I’m in the process of applying for an Education and Healthcare Plan for him. I’m fortunate to have the professional knowledge and skills to steer my way through this complex process but, even so, it is arduous and time-consuming.

There’s no doubt that, without the flexibility and support I received at BBK, I would have had to stop working altogether.  At BBK, we are trusted to work when, where, and how we perform best. This culture allowed me to start work later to support a morning routine that calmed and reassured my son, attend critical meetings during the day, and work from home in the evenings or at weekends, during periods when he was excluded and needed my support during the day.

This flexibility benefits not only me, but also my clients and their families. For many parents of brain-injured children, life is anything but predictable. They may need to juggle endless medical appointments, therapy sessions, and school meetings while facing the emotional and practical challenges of caring for a child with complex needs. These families need a solicitor who can accommodate their schedules, not the other way around.

At BBK we work in mini teams, so there’s always someone available parents can speak to who knows the family and what’s going on with the case.  And we can adapt our schedules to fit around a parent’s caregiving responsibilities: arranging calls and meetings outside of traditional office hours; attending client appointments in person or virtually at times and locations convenient for the family; and providing real-time updates and quick responses to urgent queries, ensuring parents feel supported and informed, especially during particularly stressful periods.

My journey as a parent carer has profoundly shaped my approach to my work with families of brain-injured children. I understand what the parents of my clients go through, not just in their pursuit of justice for their children but in their day-to-day struggles to balance caregiving responsibilities with work, family and life.

My experience has helped me to better appreciate their anxieties, frustrations, and hopes, and strengthened my determination to fight for the best possible outcomes for them. Whether it’s securing compensation to cover care needs, ensuring access to therapy, or advocating for tailored educational support, I can offer reassurance and guidance along the way.

Louise’s perspective: why flexibility benefits everyone

At BBK, we understand there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to flexible working. For some, it might mean adjusting start and finish times; for others, it’s about working fewer hours or being available for school pickups.

A 2023 report by Careering into Motherhood highlighted the challenges many working parents face:

• Nearly 50% of working mums believed their chances of promotion were hindered by flexible working.
• 65% of working mums felt there were fewer career opportunities since maternity leave.
• 36% of working mums said they worked outside their contracted hours to keep up.
• 75% of working mums said work-related stress affected their adult relationships at home.

Meanwhile, the TUC reported in 2023 53% of fathers (and partners entitled to paternity leave) had flexible working requests rejected and, even more concerning, 18% of fathers (and partners entitled to paternity leave) didn’t ask for flexibility for fear of it being rejected. These figures show many employers still struggle to provide meaningful support to help families stay in employment and those entitled to paternity leave shoulder their share of childcare.

At BBK, we do things differently. We offer flexibility to all staff—not just parents or carers as required by law – because we understand everyone’s circumstances change over time and even from day to day.

Our approach is performance-based. This means what’s most important is meeting responsibilities, goals, and targets – not where or when someone works. Employees can log in early, work later in the day, or split their hours, making it easier to work when they’re at their best and to balance work with other responsibilities and commitments. This not only retains talent – our staff are brilliant and capable individuals – but also ensures fairness, as everyone can progress in their career, regardless of their working pattern or life challenges.

Flexible working also means considering the needs of others—clients, colleagues, and managers. Regular one-to-one conversations create working arrangements that allow our staff to perform at their best, while staying aligned with the needs of clients, the team and the firm.

Your legal rights

As of April 2024, all employees in England, Scotland, and Wales can request flexible working from their first day of employment. This could involve:

• Adjusting start and finish times.
• Reducing working hours or days.
• Working from home.

While employers can refuse requests for clear business reasons, the law gives you, the employee, the right to apply up to twice a year. Resources like Gov.uk, ACAS and Contact provide templates and advice on how to make a request.

If you are a parent of a disabled child, the Equality Act 2010 offers additional protections. If an employer’s refusal disproportionately disadvantages you due to your caring responsibilities, this could constitute disability discrimination by association. Charities like Working Families offer guidance on what to do if your request is refused.

Why flexibility matters

At BBK, we’ve seen firsthand how a culture of flexibility benefits not just employees but also the business. When staff feel supported, they’re more engaged, productive, and loyal.

For working parents and carers, this means they can focus on their families while maintaining a fulfilling career.

For clients and their families, this means having access to a responsive, empathetic and client-centred service that takes account of the unique challenges they face.

We’re proud to foster an environment where flexibility is more than just a policy—it’s a practice embedded into our culture. By doing so, we aim to set an example for other employers and show true flexibility isn’t just about ticking a box; it’s about valuing people as individuals.

This blog was co-written by Cheryl Abrahams and Louise Pye.