- Conference
- 2026 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 5 August 2025
- Decision
- Carried
A significant majority of UNISON members are women, with approximately 76.8% identifying as female. This high proportion reflects the large number of women working in public services. Among these female members, many are grandparents who care for their grandchildren and are often referred to as kinship carers.
Due to the high cost of childcare, some grandparents take on care responsibilities in various ways – such as supporting their grandchildren during school holidays and weekends, especially in single-parent families.
These care responsibilities are often informal and may not involve the local authority.
Conference notes that many kinship carers lack protections and rights to time off work. Without paid leave, many are forced to reduce their working hours or leave employment altogether, which negatively impacts their future pensions.
Agreeing to paid time off would help retain the expertise, skills, and knowledge of these employees.
Conference calls on the National Women’s Committee to:
1)Work with the NEC, in conjunction with regions, branches, and self-organised groups, to produce information and guidance that will assist branches in negotiating paid time off with employers to support grandparents with care responsibilities.
