MP backs campaign for care

2:41pm Monday 5th November 2007

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STOURBRIDGE MP Lynda Waltho is backing a children's cancer charity over a campaign for parents to have the right to care.

The charity CLIC Sargent is calling for children with cancer to have the right to care.

And Lynda has teamed up with them to push for parents to have the rights to have paid time off, career breaks and flexible working, if their child is diagnosed with cancer.

CLIC Sargent have found parents across the UK are struggling to balance work with caring for a child with cancer.

Lynda said: "Parents can expect leave and relevant pay when their child is first born, but these same rights are not available when their child needs it most.

"Parents in Stourbridge should have right to care, so I'm backing CLIC Sargent's campaign.

"I am currently lobbying the Minister for Carers on this issue and calling for parents of children with cancer to receive the full workplace rights they need."

The charity recently did a study and revealed 91 per cent of UK families surveyed had to change their working patterns when a child was diagnosed with cancer, 49 per cent had to use their holiday allowance or sick leave to care for their child.

Chief executive of CLIC Sargent Dr Carole Easton said: "On behalf of families of children with cancer, we are hugely grateful to Lynda for her support of this campaign.

"A diagnosis of cancer is extremely traumatic for a child and his or her family - to say nothing of the additional financial stress that goes with it.

"Travel to specialist hospital, accommodation, food, clothes and childcare for other children all add up to increased debt for many families."

For more information about the campaign go to www.clicsargent.org.uk