Support network making a difference for officers returning from maternity leave

9 December 2025

The initiative, known as ‘Herts Families’, was spearheaded by Detective Superintendent Andrea Dalton and senior HR advisor Lauren Dempsey, and championed by Terasa Holden, the Federation’s full-time equality lead.

Recognising the challenges faced by officers returning after up to a year away helped to create a system that improved communication between the Force and its new and expectant mums, while also ensuring they felt confident and supported in returning to work.

Through ongoing engagement with members, Terasa shared feedback directly with the Force, ensuring concerns were heard and acted upon.

Branch equality lead Terasa Holden with a colleague's baby, Harrison

This collaboration between the Federation and the Force has delivered tangible improvements that directly benefit members, from policy changes to on-the-ground support.

Three years on, Herts Families has become a model of workplace support praised by Hertfordshire Police officers, staff, and their representatives.

Terasa said: “It's a big thing when you've been away from work on maternity leave, sometimes as long as a year.

KIT days

“You’ve been a mum during that time, and then you’re expected to go back in the workplace and hit the ground running. It’s a big change for people.”

Central to the Federation’s work has been the reintroduction of Keep in Touch (KIT) days – relaxed sessions where officers on maternity leave can visit their workplace, bring their babies, and speak to Federation representatives, HR, Unison, wellbeing teams, and colleagues.

Terasa explained: “People can bring their babies in and we’ve got toys for them to play with. We get a cuppa and a bit of cake and biscuits, and they can ask the questions they need to ask."

The KIT messaging group already has around 150 members, and is ‘such a lovely community of women helping other women.’

The scheme has also helped address practical barriers, such as ICT access, fitness tests, and shift planning, ensuring officers can return smoothly and confidently.

Andrea said: "It’s things that might seem little but are important. For example, our ICT policy and the security on our laptops meant that if they weren’t used for three months, you were blocked out of everything. It’s one of the solvable issues that have been highlighted, and we can sort quite quickly."

Feedback

Feedback from members has also brought about policy change. For instance, the Force now offers staggered return to work, something, Terasa said, ‘has gone down really well’.

Another major development is the introduction of a compassionate two-week paid leave policy for miscarriage, ensuring it is not recorded as sick leave.

The Force has also introduced small but meaningful gestures, including a Welcome to the World book, personally signed by Chief Constable Andy Prophet and featuring a short message for every new parent and their child.

Andrea said: “It’s just a little token to say we recognise this as a big life event.”

The initiative has been praised for making the workplace more inclusive and supportive, and Andrea has credited the Force’s leadership for being receptive to these changes.