When can APL be taken and for how long?

APL can only be taken once the baby is 20 weeks old and must end by the child’s first birthday (or first anniversary of placement for adoption).

APL can be taken for between two and 26 weeks, but it must be taken in multiples of complete weeks and in one continuous period.

There can be a gap between the end of the maternity leave and the start of the APL. There is no rule that the two periods must run consecutively, but they cannot overlap. There is nothing to prevent a mother, for example, using annual leave while her partner is on APL.