# Matching panel



## Tillywhitt (Feb 19, 2014)

Hello everyone
I am going to matching panel in 3 1/2 weeks and was wondering whether to see if I could take the whole day off work. What would you recommend?  Not sure work will understand but want to do whatever is the best thing. Xx


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## -x-Lolly-x- (Feb 3, 2012)

I took the whole day off, panel was midday so we kind of had to, but even if it wasn't I wouldn't have gone in. If panel was later in the day my morning would have been less than productive due to nerves, and if it was morning the last thing I would have wanted was to go into work after. I would want to tell everyone the good news (because it will be good news   ) and just enjoy the day I was told I was going to be a mummy. Plus our panel ended up running nearly an hour late so that's another consideration, you don't want to be clock watching as well as everything else! Masses of luck, you'll be great


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## MummyElf (Apr 11, 2013)

I took the day off too. Truth is, if you go to work be it before or after you won't get a thing done as you'll either be a nervous wreck or really hyper! We sweated nervously at home until panel which was early afternoon then celebrated afterwards


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## Tillywhitt (Feb 19, 2014)

Thanks for the advice. Think I will definitely ask for the day off. Did the same for approval panel which actually did end up being about an hour late. Went out afterwards but think the stress and worry just wore me out and I was shattered all afternoon.
Thanks Lilly,I hope you're right. The thought of it going wrong at this stage is something I don't want to think about xx


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## Arrows (Nov 9, 2008)

Definitely take the whole day off -they always seem to run late and you'll be a bundle of nerves before you go in and so emotional afterwards, you won't be fit for work!


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## Tillywhitt (Feb 19, 2014)

You're right arrows. Going to ask tomorrow. Not looking forward to it as work hasn't been very supportive but will just have to take it unpaid if necessary. Want to be able to enjoy the day (hopefully) xx


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## Arrows (Nov 9, 2008)

They legally have to give you the day off so they'll just have to get over it. All about you now Tillywhitt!  Enjoy your day!


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## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

Arrows said:


> They legally have to give you the day off so they'll just have to get over it. All about you now Tillywhitt!  Enjoy your day!


Where does it say that?

I thought you may have got special leave for up to half a day, but not the whole day.

I had to use my own annual leave.


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## babas (Oct 23, 2013)

That's what I was thinking daddyboo. I've used annual leave for the whole process!


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## peacelily (Feb 24, 2006)

I never took any time off for Panels! I went into work first, went to Panel, came back and had to make the time up subsequently


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## Arrows (Nov 9, 2008)

Time for your adoption panel is considered equal to that of pre-anatal appointments and they legally have to give you the time off. They do not have to pay you however. I generally did homestudy in evenings so it didn't affect work so the only days off pre approval panel were and panel days (although we mostly did evening for homestudy) went down as 'other' on the list of absense reasons. They only paid me on the panel day but no other appointments.
My DH used annual leave though as we couldn't afford for him to lose any wages. We just did a lot of long weekends for hols instead.


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## Loopylou29 (Mar 4, 2013)

At the moment there is no legal requirement for employers to give you time off for mp etc. 

First time round we went to mp then I worked a night shift. At our 2nd mp I was given special leave.


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## GERTIE179 (Apr 20, 2005)

I'm with loopy - it's the 2015 changes that will see this part of adopting in line with antenatal as I understand. I took mine all as AL or made up time later.
Good luck x


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## Loopylou29 (Mar 4, 2013)

Its far too confusing and complicated. When you look at the statutory policy it only talks about around the time a child is placed.
I know when I asked for leave to attend our 2nd panel I was initially told I couldn't have the time off so I had to take it higher. I work in a role that isn't subject to employment law so for me its a bit more complicated as they try to match employment law with our terms and conditions.  Unfortunately it doesn't always match very well for me.


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## Arrows (Nov 9, 2008)

Thanks guys for clarifying -I guess I was just very lucky that my workplace kept adoption in line with their maternity policy. I was the first to do it in the organisation (a large one so quite surprising) and I had to make them rewrite their documents all all of them only covered maternity not adoption. They didn't have an adoption policy in place when I started the journey in 2010!


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## Zargus (Jan 9, 2012)

I had to take quite a bit of time off work as I work in London and live an hour and a half travel away so I was either in late or had to leave early when I was doing HS. But I have a very sympathetic colleague who does the company's HR and I didn't have to make up the lost time.  I took my prep days as annual leave but the panel date was classed as special leave.

We have a provisional matching panel date at the end of April and I think they are going to give that day to me as special leave also.  But I've had to take annual leave for a "telling" course I have to go on and 2 full days for meetings with child's social workers and foster carer.  I didn't really want to use too much of my holiday as I want to tack it onto the end of my adoption leave and I have to confess to having the occasional 'sick' day when I would have used holiday.  

A lot of employers will not have any policies in place, my company is fairly small but we are part of a bigger organisation and I am the first to adopt.  Neither my company nor the parent company had any precedents in place.  I've been pretty lucky as they could have made me use more of my leave.  I’m also lucky that my boss is giving me the same leave and pay entitlements as my colleagues have had for their maternity leave.  But I know not all companies are so generous.  It's no wonder people are reluctant to adopt if there are no set rules that every company has to abide by.  It just seems so unfair and weighted in favour of the employer and not the employee.  

Good luck for MP Tillywhitt x


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## Tillywhitt (Feb 19, 2014)

Thanks for all of your advice guys. I work in a school so can't use annual leave. However I am entitled 5 days for appointments and meetings linked to the adoption. I've only had 4 but the bursar thinks I have had 5 so have to take my dates in tomorrow. I just know that my head can be awkward and hate her disapproving look when I ask for more time off. Still, hopefully I'll be finishing soon for a while xx


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