How do I apply to take family-friendly leave from the Scheme?

We can extend your time on the Scheme if you take family-friendly leave. You are allowed to extend your time on the Scheme by the same amount as your family-friendly leave, normally up to 52 weeks. For example, if you take 33 weeks of family-friendly leave, you will be entitled to extend your time on the Scheme by 33 weeks. 

If you are a partner* who, after enrolling on the Scheme, takes shared parental leave in addition to the statutory two weeks' paternity leave, you will be allowed to extend your time by the same length of time as your combined paternity and shared parental leave. This extension is up to a maximum of 50 weeks, dependent on the amount of family-friendly leave primary caregiver takes.

For example if the mother or primary adopter takes 39 weeks and you, her partner take 13 weeks' leave, you will be entitled to extend your time on the Scheme for Registration by 13 weeks. This also applies if you are a partner who takes adoption leave.

If you plan to take family friendly leave during the pre-registration period, please submit written evidence from your employer signed/dated on headed paper to confirm the proposed leave dates. 

For maternity leave we require a copy of your Maternity Certificate (form MAT B1) and written evidence from your employer signed/dated on headed paper to confirm your proposed maternity leave dates.

You will also need to contact us again once you have confirmed the end date of your leave. 

Please email your evidence to education.help@college-optometrists.org.

*A partner includes biological and adoptive fathers and husbands, civil partners, and partners of either sex who live with the mother in a family relationship.