Adoptive mothers and sole male adopters are entitled to 24 weeks paid leave and 16 weeks unpaid leave following the adoption and may take holiday leave which overlaps with adoptive leave to a maximum of 27 working days. Other regular part-time teachers may be entitled to unpaid adoptive leave, under legislation effective since 1991.
Additional Adoptive Leave
At the end of the paid 24 weeks adoptive leave a teacher/lecturer will have the option of taking
(a) up to 16 consecutive weeks additional unpaid adoptive leave, or
(b) non-statutory leave of absence, without pay, to the end of the academic year (31st August), subject to the discretion of the managerial authority concerned.
In the event of the illness of the adopting mother / male sole adopter the employer may agree to terminate unpaid additional adoptive leave thereby allowing her / him to transfer on to paid sick leave.
Leave Overlapping with Holidays
Where paid adoptive leave overlaps with school holidays a teacher/lecturer will be entitled to leave in lieu with pay for the holiday days overlapped, subject to a maximum of 27 days. The overlapped days for which the teacher/lectuer will be entitled to leave in lieu are general holiday days (e.g. mid-term breaks, summer holidays, etc), including public and church holidays (where applicable) and other school closings, except that any day that counts towards the number of days of school operation is excluded. Examples of days that would be excluded are days during the periods of the Department of Education and Science Certificate Examinations (12 school days) and days on which schools are closed in exceptional circumstances such as closures where schools are being used for polling purposes during an election.
Leave in lieu of overlapped adoptive leave as set out above will be taken by the teacher/lecturer so as to follow on immediately from the end of the period of statutory unpaid adoptive leave, or from the end of the holiday period concerned, if the adoptive leave expires within such holiday period.
Supporting circular letters:
Circular Letter 20/97 Adoptive Leave
Circular Letter 84/08 Revised Sequence of Maternity Leave / Adoptive Leave in respect of Teachers and Special Needs Assistants.
Circular Letter PPT 3/01 Maternity and adoptive leave increase
Circular Letter PPT 8/01 Maternity and adoptive leave days in lieu