# How long did you (or planning to) take off work?



## kizzie (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi everyone - just wondered how long those who have already adopted took off work after adoption?

Or if you are still waiting - how long you are planning to take?

Kizziex


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## Barbarella (Jun 11, 2005)

I actually plan to be off work until school age.. but obviously will have to play that by ear.  I have spent the last 5 years working on and off, as dh works shift and me working full-time just plays havoc with our time together, so I'm hoping we can manage until the child/ren go to school.  We have planned for this for years, so don't rely on my salary for bills... although it comes in handy for everything else of course.

Cx


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## magenta (Nov 2, 2004)

I am planning to take a full year of adoption leave and then DH will become a SAHD for a year or two until we are in a good routine and/or little one is at school.

Obviously, as we aren't matched yet, this is all very theoretical but we would hope to have full time parent at home for at least two - three years to do intensive work on challenging behaviours/play therapy/work on developmental delays etc. We have been approved 0-3 but are willing to take a child with developmental delays, behaviour problems and/or disabilities and so we see 'time at home' as key to how we (personally) would 'cope' in the early years.

magenta x


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## jilldill (Feb 2, 2006)

Hi kizzie,
Like Magenta my situation is theoretical at the moment having only just passed at panel. Dh and I are actually for once in a fortunate position in that we are both free lance so the plan is for me to take several months off but if the odd well paid day comes up DH will stay at home. I think initially we will both be at home for a few weeks. It's up to us when we work the down side of that is if we don't work we don't get paid! We wont get any sort of paid adoption leave so I guess it is swings and round abouts.
Take Care Jill x


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## kizzie (Jun 2, 2005)

Thanks for the replies.  

I will get 4 1/2 months adoption leave but may take an extra couple of months unpaid before going back part time.  Unfortunately we need my salary to pay the mortgage but thankfully DH works flexibly too so littly would only need childcare aaprox 1 1/2 days per week.

Kizziex


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## superal (May 27, 2005)

When we adopted our DS I stayed at home for the fist 8 months, until he went to school in the September(that was hard, only having him for 8 months & then off to school!)  I then went back to work part -time.

When we adopted our DD I was lucky enough to be not working.  I'd given up work about 2 years before to be able to do concurrent planning.  I now do supply work, working at a local day nursery & I go in when I'm required & when it fits in with DH shifts, that way some one is always at home when the children are off & need collecting from school.  It works really great & we are very fortunate to be able to do this.

Love
Andrea
xx


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## Boomerang girl (Jan 24, 2004)

I am planning on a year off, then if it suits strawberry, which they think it will, I'll do a couple of days a week and she will go to the onsite nursery- but we will play it by ear. if its notright for her, I will just do odd days supply teaching when dh has a day off work


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## alex28 (Jul 29, 2004)

i plan to take about 6 months off as i am self-employed but fortunately i can do work at home and prob will do so during this time, DH hopes to take one day off a week and work a saturday if needed at least this way he gets to spend some wquality time with kids on his own.

i would love to take more time off but dont feel its fair to my business partner.


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## Nats (Aug 22, 2003)

In an ideal world, I would return until after they started school....unlucky for us dh doesnt earnt hat great money so I will be working 1-2 days from home...although its not ideal and im not sure sure how well its goint to work...we can give it a go and maybe tweek it if need be!


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## everhopeful (Feb 19, 2004)

I took 2 weeks holiday for the intro period and then my adoption leave started the day our littlie came home. I was off work for 6 months - paid flat rate adoption/maternity pay. 

I am now back at work (not for the love of it!!), but only 4 part days so it's working out quite well at the mo.


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## TraceyH (Apr 14, 2004)

Like Everhopeful, I plan to take some time off for the intro period and then start 6 months adoption leave, after which I plan to return to work part-time (20 hrs a week).  DH works shifts so we should be able to sort childcare out between us - with the help of family if we become stuck.


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## KarenM (Jul 30, 2002)

Kizzie

I planned to have 5 and a half months off, that's all we could afford with our savings as I am the major wage earner.

However SS felt that I should have longer off, so they made my money up 90% of my salary for 12 weeks so I had nearly 9 months off.

When I went back, I had so much flexi time owed. So I worked 3 days a week for 9 weeks had 2 weeks holiday and then went back full time.

The girls started nursery 3 months before I went back to work and for the first month did 1 day per week, half way through the second month they went for 2 days and so it wasn't such a shock for them.

Good luck
Karen x


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## michelle hs (Jan 24, 2005)

Hi, we are at the very beginning of the adoption journey, so know nothing!  Can anyone tell me if conditions for adoption leave and pay are exactly the same as for statutory maternity leave?
Michelle


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## magenta (Nov 2, 2004)

Hi Michelle,

Karen is the 'resident guru' about these things but I *think* they are pretty much the same. If you have been in paid employment with your employer for 26 weeks prior to adoption - You get 26 weeks at £108(or so) per week (Statutory Adoption Pay) OR 90% of your pay whichever is LOWER. So for most of us I would reckon £108 for 6 months and then you are entitled to 6 months unpaid leave with your employment rights protected (ie you can go back to your old job or equivalent and have the option to request part time or flexible working on return).

Some employers have a better package than this - my work give you 6 weeks at 90% pay (whatver your salary) then 20 weeks at £SAP/£SMP. other places you get 6 months full pay - it just depends.


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## KarenM (Jul 30, 2002)

Michelle

Here's a website that will help you about leave and pay. If you follow the links in the site it will give your further details. This is the statutory requirements, but some employers give more or give the same as maternity.

http://www.tiger.gov.uk/adoption/employee/full_adoption/stat_leave.htm

This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that FertilityFriends.co.UK or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Good luck

Karen x


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## Boomerang girl (Jan 24, 2004)

just to let you know there are still some inequalities with occupational adoption pay (the "extra from employers) especially in education- you don't get the maternity 90 percent then 50 percent, just the 108 a week then the school has the option of payingout of their budget to give you some time at half pay- but they don't have to and many can't. my school is kindly paying me seven weeks half pay. its worth checking out early on so you can financially plan. we are very glad we did!


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## michelle hs (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks for the replies.  I am in education and will definitely check it out early on.


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