Anita has worked at WMG for almost 19 years as a Programme Co-ordinator for WMG’s Professional Programmes.

She first began her journey towards becoming a parent back in 2000. “I had to attend a lot of medical appointments, and WMG was always very supportive and flexible. It was a journey that stretched 11 years during which I was also given the option to buy extra leave,” explains Anita.

In 2011 my husband and I made the decision to adopt. The adoption process takes around two years, and in January 2014 I officially began my adoption leave.

‘I initially planned to take a year off and use some of my annual leave allocation to stretch things out further. However as my return to work date drew nearer I really wasn’t ready to come back. My son and daughter were still very young and I desperately wanted to get them settled at home and at school before I came back.

“I spoke to my HR colleagues who suggested taking some family leave, giving me an extra seven months at home. This allowed me to really focus on my children, and to get my new family into a routine which made them feel loved and secure.

“It really helped to take the pressure off and enable me to devote myself to my family when they needed me the most. It was, without a doubt, the best decision I ever made.”

Anita returned to work in October 2015 reducing her full time role to 34 hours a week meaning she is able to drop her children off at school each morning.

Athena Swan