Recent diagnosis- 30hours childcare funding worries

Hello Mellahc412cd

Sorry to hear you are going through this with a toddler. How old are they?

My son is 4 but is about to start school so no longer eligible for the 30 funded hours. The government website says that you can still get the funded hours if you are on sick leave as long as you are usually working (https://www.gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working/check-youre-eligible). That's my understanding at least!

I don't know if the macmillan helpline can advise on this but they have an information booklet about talking to children and teenagers about cancer which might be worth a read. 

Hope this is helpful. I'm thinking of you and crossing my fingers that all goes well 

As the previous poster says, you won’t lose your entitlement, you can’t lose your job, you will be on sick leave, you are now protected under the disability part of the equality act. Your entitlement to the free childcare hours remains. MacMillan can definitely help advise you on these matters as can ACAS or citizens advice, there are a couple of people on here really up on U.K. employment law so I’m sure they’ll advise you too. My daughter was 4 the first time I had breast cancer, I didn’t need chemo first time, I had a lumpectomy and RT but I told her that there was a naughty little lump in my breast and the doctors needed to take it away and give me special medicine to make me better, she accepted that and didn’t really ask too much. She was 11 when I got cancer again and needed chemo and a mastectomy so I had to be more candid then. I think when they are little they just need to understand the basics. MacMillan will also help advise you, call them, they’re great honestly. All the best x

Thanks much for your reply. Checked out the link and it makes sense. 

My son is 3.5years - my plan was just to explain that I'm feeling sick and need to take medicine and need lots of rest. But will give Macmillan a shout and ask for advice.

Thanks for getting back to me. Silly question but how do I officially request sick leave? Assuming it would only be applicable from the start of treatment? Would I need my clinic letter or note from the oncology team?

I'm tired but still feel up to working for the time being but wonder if I need time to prepare for everything.

My son is 3.5. I don't think we'll explain anything beyond me not being well and needing to medicine at the hospital and lots of rest. 

I told my son that I had a poorly booby and needed to have an operation and some medicine to make it better. 

I was told not to carry anything heavy after my operation, which included him. I have to remind him quite regularly to be gentle and not to climb on me or hang on my arm etc. 

I think it's made him a bit more worried about being ill - he keeps saying he has hurt his leg and he needs to go to the doctor, until he forgets and starts jumping around. I told his nursery when I got a date for my surgery. I wanted them to know in case he was upset or struggling while there. I've also told his school so that they are aware and can keep an eye out for him. 

No silly questions ever ️ it depends where you work but I work in a school. I was told by oncology that I couldn’t be in the school while having chemo and he wrote a letter for me which I passed on, the school were great, I was very lucky in that respect. I would say, contact HR first, tell them if your diagnosis and that you will be taking time off for chemo. Some people on here took a week off after chemo and then did some work as they were predominantly working from home or in an environment that supported working while not 100% I honestly could not have done that. I tolerated chemo well, I wasn’t hospitalised and I was never actually sick. I did however feel very rough, particularly days 3-10. I could hold it together to walk the dog, often with friends just in case, and look after me and my daughter and the house without having people live in, I’m a single parent. But my school job is too physical and needs a clear head because you’re dealing with kids, I couldn’t do it. So I worked up until my first chemo dose, I even went in with my picc line in which in hindsight wasn’t the best idea. After that I didn’t go back until chemo and major surgery was done. I did work while having phesgo but you won’t need that being triple negative. So I’d say, tell HR, tell your boss, ask oncology for a letter, and if not ask your go to sign you off (oncology will do it though) that said, some people go off after the diagnosis, it’s about how you feel, and each of us is different, and has different life pressures. Good idea re your son, you tell him what you think he can cope with and don’t be pressured otherwise, you will do the right thing for him and you know him better than anyone x