"It’s during these tough times that having the support of loved ones and the flexibility to be able to step back from work can help keep all other plates spinning."
- Phil Jeynes, head of individual protection at MetLife UK
Of those surveyed (2,027), 35% worry about the impact caring for a sick or injured child will have on their career progression, and a similar percentage (34%) of mothers fear their employer’s reaction.
77% of respondents said they want, or have previously wanted, their mother to care for them when they’re sick or injured, compared to just 9% for their father.
A common concern amongst parents is financial resilience, with 27% worried about loss of income when needing to take time away from work to provide childcare. Only 57% of parents try to plan ahead - opting to reserve annual leave.
If parents need to take extended leave to care for a sick or injured child, then as many as three in four (77%) working parents would be at financial risk.
In support of MetLife UK’s findings, Paula Radcliffe MBE has shared her own experience navigating parenthood and her sports career.
When her daughter, Isla, battled a rare form of ovarian cancer at 13 years old, Paula had to take a step back from competing and punditry to manage hospital visits.
“When Isla was diagnosed, it triggered a huge range of emotions, including fear, stress, and uncertainty of what her and our family’s future would look like. On top of this, I had to make the difficult but necessary decision to step away from my work commitments and TV career as a sports pundit so I could throw myself into the care she needed, directly resulting in a significant loss of income which was hard given I was the main breadwinner at that time.
She now urges parents to seriously consider getting protection insurance to minimise financial strain if the unexpected were to happen.
“Illness and accidents aren’t something we can prepare for and can happen when we least expect it, so I urge all families to think about protection products such as ChildShield and consider how they might best prepare, should they need to care for loved ones,” Paula said.
Phil Jeynes, head of individual protection at MetLife UK, added: “It’s every parent’s worst nightmare when their child becomes seriously ill or injured. Any additional worries about loss of income and extra expenses only compound the worry. It can be difficult to prepare anything ahead of time or know how best to react in the moment.
“It’s during these tough times that having the support of loved ones and the flexibility to be able to step back from work can help keep all other plates spinning. This will then allow you to focus on what’s most important for your child.
“That’s not always easy to do, and why it’s critical more parents consider how protection insurance might help them ease any money pressures if the unexpected happens.”
