Last week was International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day so when better to improve the rights of women? A time when many women feel their rights aren’t respected is around childbirth and childrearing. Of course we know that not all women have children, and those who do may adopt or foster which has its own benefits and challenges, but we know how important it is to protect the rights of women who give birth and then wish to return to work.

From conversations with women across Scotland we know that going back to work after having a child can be a really difficult time. Unfortunately many women still feel that their employers don’t understand what they are legally expected to do and many women are made to feel like a burden for taking time off to have a child.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We have put together two new resources to help women be aware of their rights around maternity leave and a discussion paper to get employers thinking about what they can do better.

In our Mums returning to work guide we outline some of the issues women are facing when they return to work. The guide gives information about support networks and shares some of their experiences – which we hope will give some emotional and practical reassurance to other women in these circumstances. In our Mums returning to work discussion paper we highlight the good practice of employers in Scotland as well as looking for solutions to support Mums to have equal access to work. We are keen to share good practice and have a discussion about how we can improve the way that we manage women when they return to work after having a baby so please do share this resource with employers you know so we can add their feedback to our understanding of this issue.

Is there anything you think employers could be better at with mums returning to work? Or have you had a really positive experience that you’d like to share? Let us know by commenting below or by emailing alice@otbds.org.