Starting January 1, parents who lose a child under the age of 18 will be entitled to seven days of paid bereavement leave, a new measure announced by Social Dialogue Junior Minister Andy Ellul.

Currently, parents in such tragic circumstances are entitled to only one or two days of leave, with discrepancies across different employment sectors. The new legislation will standardize this entitlement, ensuring that all parents-regardless of their workplace or sector-receive a full week of bereavement leave.

The government will fully fund the measure. Full-time employees will receive their normal pay, part-time workers will be compensated on a pro-rata basis, and self-employed parents will be paid the equivalent of the national median wage. The entitlement applies equally to both parents, including same-sex couples.

"In life, there is no greater loss than that of a child," Ellul said. "Nothing can fill that void or ease the pain, but we felt it was important to create space for parents to grieve and process their loss."

Ellul noted that the initiative arose during wider discussions on maternity and miscarriage leave, which also led to consideration of new provisions for parents of children admitted to the Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (NPICU).

He added that another issue identified during these talks was the lack of leave for women who experience stillbirth after 23 weeks of pregnancy-currently excluded from both miscarriage and maternity leave. This matter is expected to be debated in parliament starting tomorrow.