Children are not banned from government office

A minister has confirmed children of employees were allowed in government offices after a staff member had been told they were not.

Assistant chief minister deputy Malcolm Ferey spoke at the Corporate Services Panel meeting on Friday after an employee had been told they were not allowed to bring their child in to the Government of Jersey's Union Street office.

Ferey told the panel he considered an email had been written "in haste" and it had been an isolated incident for that set of circumstances.

"I have reviewed that email and whilst it was well intended, it is certainly not the government policy that children are not allowed in the building," he said.

Ferey told the panel children were welcome on the ground and first-floors of the building as they were "safe areas".

He said: "If mothers are breastfeeding, there are safe, lockable areas if they want that privacy."

He said parents with childcare responsibilities in emergency situations had "lots of options available to them".

"They can either work from home or take emergency leave," he explained.

"Bringing a child into the office is not the default position, but we will accommodate it where we have to."

He said he thought most work places would not allow children.

There were floors in the government building which were not appropriate for children due to the nature of work, confidentiality and health and safety concerns, he added.

Following the meeting, Ferey said he would draft guidance that would "be more appropriate and house the reality" of the government's policies on the issue.

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