Stage 3- During your parental leave
Congratulations on the new addition(s) to your family!
By now, you'll have outlined how much contact you would like to maintain with your workplace in your Staying Connected plan. In Stage 3, you will find information and resources to help you keep in touch during your parental leave.
Maintaining communication between you and your workplace during your parental leave has many benefits, such as:
- Staying up to date with any changes that may impact your team, workplace or your role
- Being proactive and finding opportunities that can enable you to retain and build on your current skills
- Maintaining your self-confidence so you can feel ready and positive when the time comes to return to work
- Maintaining your relationships with your manager and your colleagues
Keeping in Touch (KIT) Days
A Keeping in Touch Day can be worked at least 42 days after the birth of a child or adoption, during a period of unpaid parental leave. There are specific conditions for the type of work you can conduct on a keeping in touch day for you to discuss with your manager when agreeing on your first and subsequent days.
The Discussion Forum offers a platform for you to join the conversation with other people on parental leave. There are a number of benefits to joining the conversation such as:
- Sharing your experiences
- Learning additional coping skills
- Reducing stress and gaining strength
- Finding additional resources and information
Tips
Here are some tips to help you participate effectively in the forum and get the most out of it.
- Use proper language
- Recognise and respect diversity
- Be explanatory and justify your comments
- Read other’s comments
- Participate regularly
- Share your experience
- Be light hearted
- Have fun
Your first post
It can be challenging posting for the first time, below are some ideas on what you can include in your first post
- Greetings
- Your name
- Where you are in your journey
- Something you would like to share about your journey
- Your question or comment
Some examples:
Expressing at work…
Hi everyone, I am Jenna. I am currently on parental leave and my baby is three months old…. I plan to attend KIT day next week and I wanted to discuss the availability of facilities suitable to express breast milk. It would be great if you could share your experience with me on how this was managed in your area….
New dad…
Hi, I am Daniel. We are overjoyed to have a new addition to our family. My partner and I have recently adopted a new born baby girl and have just started our parental journey. Looking forward to chatting with you and learning from your experience….
A wonderful resource
Hi everyone. I am Natalie and my baby is 6 weeks today. Struggling for weeks to get a full night sleep since the birth of son, I was referred by an early childhood nurse to Karitane website https://karitane.com.au/page/for-parents/sleeping-settling. Watch the videos, they are great…
Tips for taking care of yourself
- Allocate time for yourself each day
- Look after yourself. Eat healthy, exercise regularly and ensure you are getting enough sleep
- Watch your stress levels and expect that on some days you won’t get much done
- Develop a support network and make time to socialise
- Seek support from others whenever you need it
Tips to help you keep your professional skills up to date
- Keep your computer skills up to date and use technology such as emails, the intranet, and different applications on your computer
- Stay on your workplace email distribution lists to keep up with changes and new projects
- Consider attending important team meetings at work from time to time, using the Keeping in Touch Days scheme
- Subscribe to online newsletters that will keep you up to date with your industry
- Keep your knowledge current by accessing relevant articles
- Join relevant professional associations and attend networking groups
- Enrol in relevant e-learning professional development courses or webinars.
Use this checklist and timeline to prompt actions and processes between you and your manager for your period of parental leave, according to your Staying Connected plan.
‘Check in’ and see how you are going. You can also get some ideas of what you can do to ensure you are looking after your health and well-being during different stages of your journey.
Download the PDF version here
Beyond Blue - Dad's Handbook - A guide to the first 12 months
Books
Below is a list of books that you may find helpful. Choose what suits you and meets your reading expectations.
Tell your story
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Discussion forum
Contacts
