Losing a child is without question one of the most traumatic life experiences that any parent may go through. On top of the emotion, the huge sense of loss and the grief at this difficult time, parents also have to make all sorts of arrangements including registering the death and organising the funeral. Up to 5,000 children die every year leaving many thousands of parents to go through this personal tragedy.

Unbelievably at present, there is no statutory right to take time off on compassionate or bereavement grounds. However, all employees have the right to take immediate "time off for dependents" under the Employment Rights Act 1996. In effect, it is a legal right to time off unpaid to deal with family emergencies. Yet there is no set limit of how many days can be taken as leave and a rather vague definition of a "reasonable amount of time". Further there is no statutory right to be paid during this "reasonable amount of time".

Most employers are excellent and act with compassion and kindness, offering their bereaved staff the time they need to come to terms with their loss. However, some do not. They behave in a manner which falls well short of what we would expect of them.