Balancing care and career: The power of supportive workplaces for parent carers

6 mins read

Monday 9 June 2025

Tags: carers week, Work and caring

This Carer’s Week, 9-15 June, Cheryl Abrahams, a brain injury lawyer at legal firm Bolt Burdon Kemp (BBK) and parent carer shares her personal experience of the difference it can make working somewhere which puts flexibility for employees at its heart, while her colleague, Louise Pye, head of Human Resources at BBK, outlines your rights as an employee who cares for a child with additional needs.

Contact’s Counting the Costs research found that the majority (62%) of parents carers had to give up a paid job or reduce working hours because of the difficulty of juggling caring and working. On average these parents have lost £21,174 of income per year.
And the latest census data by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that unpaid carers – including parent carers – are providing more hours of care now than they were 10 years ago. Reduced support services such as respite care, physiotherapy, occupational and speech and language therapy, as well as mental health services means parent carers have been left to do more often complex care in their homes themselves and less able to combine work and caring.

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 Autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and Dyspraxia.

The demands on my time were immense: attending countless school meetings, meeting his care needs at home and managing his challenging behaviours. My son attends a mainstream primary school and I’m in the process of applying for an Education and Healthcare Plan for him – an arduous and time-consuming process.

There’s no doubt that, without the flexibility and support I received at BBK, I would have had to stop working altogether. This flexibility – allowing me to start work later to support a calmer morning routine for my son, or to attend critical meetings during the day, and working from home in the evenings or at weekends, during periods when he was excluded and needed my support during the day – benefits not only me, but also my clients and their families. For many parents of children with complex needs they may need to juggle endless medical appointments, therapy sessions, and school meetings. These families need a solicitor who can accommodate their schedules, not the other way around.

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. It has also 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 to support them in their journey to ensure their child’s needs are met.

Louise Pye, head of HR at BBK on 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. At BBK, 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.

We’ve seen first-hand 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.

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.

Rules on flexible working are different in Northern Ireland.

Employers must consider requests for flexible working seriously. 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.

You’ll find lots of information on our website about flexible working, parental leave, carers leave and time off for dependents.

Read Cheryl and Louise’s blog in full.

Bolt Burdon Kemp and Contact

Bolt Burdon Kemp (BBK) is a long term supporter of Contact providing funding for our By Your Side in hospitals programme and BBK staff also kindly volunteer for Contact and take part in fundraising events.

Read BBK’s step by step guide to making a medical compensation claim.

Listen to Contact’s podcast with Caroline Klage from BBK about how to help your child make the move from primary to secondary school.