Update to JNC 16 Special Leave Policy
Renfrewshire Council · 3 February 2026
Back to Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff — 3 February 2026 and its agenda
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PUBLIC Agenda Item .......... Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers To: Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers On: 3rd Feb, 2026 Report by Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) Update to JNC 16 Special Leave Policy 1. Background The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 came into effect on April 6, 2025. It recognises the specific concerns of families in the UK where around 40,000 babies spend over one week in neonatal care each year, and 34,000 parents across the UK are expected to need paid neonatal care leave per annum. The new legislation rightly acknowledges the stress on parents who experience such a traumatic life event and places an obligation on employers to support employees during this difficult time by supplementing existing entitlements to leave. It ensures that parents can attend their babies without having the worry of work for a period of illness and it provides entitlements that are in addition to other statutory leave, such as sickness leave and maternity and paternity leave. It is a day-one entitlement and provides minimum pay and leave to the parents of babies born on or after 6th April, 2025, with up to twelve weeks of statutory leave and pay if their newborn requires an extended stay in neonatal care. Renfrewshire Council has already reached agreement with Local Government Employees to update leave policies in respect of the Act. The Teachers’ Side is seeking similarly to have the entitlement incorporated into the special leave policy, JNC 16, to help support teachers, quality improvement officers, educational psychologists and music Instructors who are going through this most traumatic period. There will also be implications for JNC 11 which stipulates that cover is required from the first day of notifiable, foreseen long-term absences. 2. Recommendation That JNC 16 and JNC 11 are updated to include the entitlements afforded by the Act and that external cover is provided on day one of any such absence. That all staff are advised, as part of a staff bulletin, of this positive change and of the new day-one entitlement.
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