Bath MP Wera Hobhouse has called on Government to extend parental leave by three months for new parents during the coronavirus pandemic.
The MP has made the call due to “the impact that the loss of access to vital services, including health visitors, will have on families”.
Speaking in Westminster Hall, Wera Hobhouse asked the Government to reconsider their decision to not extend parental leave and pay, citing statistics that show that “68% of parents have said their ability to cope with pregnancy or caring for their baby has been affected by lockdown restrictions”.
Wera was speaking in her role as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Adverse Childhood Experiences and supporting calls made by a parliamentary petition, signed by a quarter of a million people across the UK, to extend parental leave by three months throughout the Pandemic.
Wera Hobhouse said: “I am disappointed in the Government’s response to this petition. Far too many new parents have felt unsupported through what should be a time for them to bond with their newborn child.
“Depression before, during, and after birth is a serious condition. It can go unrecognized and untreated for nearly half of new mothers.
“The constantly repeated narrative that motherhood is meant to be wonderful leaves many women feeling unable to talk to health professionals about their emotional state.
“Covid-19 has only made things worse.
“It left many new parents feeling abandoned. I urge Ministers to reconsider this decision and extend parental leave and pay for families during the pandemic.”