Returning after a career break or parental leave
By Nancy Osazee, Founder. Checked 10 October 2026.
Put the break on the CV in one line so the dates make sense. If you are going back to the same employer, confirm the date and ask for a handover. If you need different hours, the statutory request has a set of lines the letter must include.
Childcare schemes differ in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The planner points at GOV.UK rather than printing one number for the whole UK.
A CV after a career break
Put the break in the timeline so the dates make sense. One line is enough: the dates and a plain description. Then return to the roles and the skills.
Returning after parental leave
Maternity leave, paternity leave, and Shared Parental Leave are different entitlements, with different lengths and pay. The current rules and the pay rates are on GOV.UK. This page does not copy the weekly rate, because it changes.
How to ask for flexible working
Employees can apply for flexible working from the first day in a job. GOV.UK calls this a statutory application. You can make two applications in any 12-month period.
Childcare and the working day
Funded hours, Tax-Free Childcare, and school hours are not the same in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The amounts and the ages change. Use the GOV.UK childcare pages for where you live rather than a figure from a blog.
On CareerPilot
Roles already labelled part-time, if that is the pattern you need.
Questions
Do I have to name my child on a CV?
No. A date range and a plain description are enough.
When can I ask for flexible working?
From the first day of employment, as a statutory request. You can make two requests in 12 months.
Where are part-time vacancies?
On the part-time jobs page.