To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any consideration her Department has given to supporting parents of babies, requiring neonatal care, prior to the planned commencement of statutory neonatal care leave and pay in 2027.

In advance of the commencement of Statutory Neonatal Care Leave and Pay, a range of existing family-related employment rights—such as maternity leave and pay, paternity leave and pay, the right to time off for dependents, parental leave, and shared parental leave—remain available to support parents whose babies require neonatal care.

I encourage all employers to treat parents whose children require neonatal care flexibly and with consideration of the stressful circumstances they are facing and to view the forthcoming statutory neonatal care leave and pay as a base level of entitlements.

Ahead of the commencement of the statutory provisions, I also encourage those employers who can do so to offer these supports at the earliest opportunity, to provide valuable assistance to families experiencing neonatal care. Many employers already offer support above this level for their staff and I would encourage more to do so.