Family rights

This guide gives you information on maternity and parental rights available to teachers including shared parental leave.

Your entitlements and responsibilities under UK legislation on paternity leave and pay.

A brief summary of the right to parental bereavement leave and how it can be claimed.

Flexible working is not only beneficial for workers and employers, but also for pupils, quality of care and education.

All teachers in Northern Ireland are entitled to one years’ maternity leave consisting of 26 weeks ordinary and 26 weeks additional leave.

The Work and Families (Northern Ireland) Act 2015 provides an opportunity for parents to take advantage of additional flexibility in the way they choose to care for a new arrival to the family.