Petition For Parents - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh On Sea News: Petition For Parents – CHRISTINA Harris, a campaigning Rochford District Resident, followed up her Parliamentary Petition of over 100,000 names, with a meeting with a Government Minister, to press her case.

Petition For Parents - CHRISTINA Harris, a campaigning Rochford District Resident, followed up her Parliamentary Petition of over 100,000 names, with a meeting with a Government Minister, to press her case.

CHRISTINA Harris, a campaigning Rochford District Resident, followed up her Parliamentary Petition of over 100,000 names, with a meeting with a Government Minister, to press her case.

Ms Harris, whose daughter, Skye, had over two years treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital, for a form of leukaemia, started a campaign for parents of seriously ill children to be allowed to take unpaid leave, to care for their child, without losing their job.

The campaigning mum drew support from her local MP, Rayleigh and Wickford Conservative, Mark Francois, and achieved over 100K signatures on a Parliamentary Petition, back in October 2023.

During the debate which followed, Mr Francois asked the Minister for Employment Rights, Justin Madders MP, if he would meet with Ms Harris, so that she could put her case in person. The meeting then took place at Westminster, in April 2025.

During the discussion, it emerged that the Government are currently conducting a formal review into support for carers, including parents whose children are ill. The Minister listened carefully to Ms Harris’ case and assured her that her idea would be fed in, as part of the Review, and could lead to it becoming law, later in this Parliament.

Speaking about the event, Mr Francois, said: “I am very proud of my constituent, Christina Harris, who has been determined to raise the plight of parents whose children are found to be seriously ill, sometimes losing their job to look after their child.

“Christina put her case across very well when she came to Westminster, and I hope the Government will take action as a result.”

Ms Harris added: “It was good to come to Westminster, to have an opportunity to explain my case in person, supported by my own MP.

“What I am suggesting is similar in principle to employers holding a job open during maternity leave and would cost the taxpayer little if anything. I very much hope the Government may yet take up my proposal and change the law.”

Picture: Campaigning mum Christina Harris puts her case to Minister Justin Madders MP at

Westminster, supported by her own MP, Mark Francois.

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