Has anyone had any joy asking there employer for flexible working hours due to there children?
We work rotating shifts with 3 different start and finish times over a 4 week period. The wife is due to start uni in September and we have looked at depth in to child care for before and after school. But that would still mean I have to start work 1 week in 4 before I can drop the children off, and 1 week in 4 I'd have to pick them up after the child care center has closed.
So I'm thinking of asking them if they'll let me work permanent middle shifts which means I can drop off and pick up the kids each day.
From works point of view it shouldn't cause any problems although it would upset some of the staff I'd imagine.
My other options are finding another job or going part time, both of which are under consideration.
So has anyone had a request for flexible working approved by there employer? or even if you've been turned down, what reasons did they give?

From works point of view it shouldn't cause any problems although it would upset some of the staff I'd imagine.

?? Isn't upset for some of the staff a problem? My personal thoughts on the matter are "you chose to have kids, you don't get special dispensation or treatment over anyone without kids" – that would be completely unfair to the other staff who don't ask for it. But maybe it's no a problem at all, the only way you'll know is to ask?
If I were a co-worker and it upset my shifts to make your shifts easier just because you had a sprog, I'd be having a fit, sorry.

I`m a "single" parent. Ex nowhere to be seen, I have a girl friend but don't we don't live together and I don't expect her to fill my ex's shoes in the child care dept. I work a full time job and asked for flexible working. I got a flat no. I don't think they even looked at it seriously. Maybe it's because i am not a woman in an office.? It depends on the company and whether your gaffer is an arse or not. Mine was a complete tosser, however he is now redundant and my request for part time is going in again.

A few years ago I doubled up my holidays, to match them with unpaid leave during school holidays (eg, four weeks off in summer hols, half paid half unpaid, a week at Easter, half terms and Xmas) so that I could have them from my ex for a good long time in the hols.

I justified this on the basis that they had students in during the holiday season, and they accepted it – however strangely expected promotions quietly evaporated, though obviously it had nothing at all to do with the existence of a flexi work arrangement because that would have been against the law 👿

so, they can and do work (and it was fantastic for me and the kids) but expect repercussions

Make sure you make your request in writing not just verbally , send it to HR as well as your manager to try and ensure it is given proper consideration – look around on the Internet as I'm sure there is an official request form available (your HR department may have one ). Legally they have to give you a written response – think they have 28 days to respond – can still say no! Mine was granted but my manager was on side – in fact it was their suggestion as the alternative was me leaving.
Good luck.

Purely depends on the emoployer. Some will be very good and listen to your proposal and offer something. Others won't for whatever reason and are within their rights to say no.

Flexible working is open to all so this crap of saying it's not fair on others who don't have kids as they can't and won't get accepted is daft. They have the same rights it's just up to the employer who is accepted.

Yes I did chose to have kids, but the nice Labour government when it was in charge also gave me the right to ask for flexible working hours. It also gave me 13 weeks off unpaid for each kid until there 5 years old if I want it, now that would really create problems at work, in fact it would probably cripple my team, we struggle when one persons on holiday.
The people in my team moan for England so that's nothing new.
If it's turned down then I'd look for employment elsewhere, and I'd like to think the company wouldn't want me to do that, as I'm consistently the best performer in the team, doing 20-30% more work than the others in my team, which the daily stats the company give us show.

It wouldn't bother me is someone else got flexi working but I would resist having my shifts changed to accommodate it
If it can be done, the company would need to take the pain not your colleagues IMO