Baby talk is coming to an Oxfordshire workplace near you in a few weeks’ time.

It’s all down to changes in the rules over how much time new parents can take off work, because under the new regulations, anyone with a baby due on or after April 5 will be able to share up to 50 weeks of parental leave.

According to the Government, more than a quarter of a million couples each year around the UK will be eligible.

And the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which is behind this, reckons the change is long overdue.

In a recent survey it found that more than half of us think childcare should be shared equally between parents.

And one in five of us believe a couple should be able to choose how they divvy up childcare responsibilities.

An example of how the new rules will work with a mother and partner who qualify for Shared Parental Leave is that the mum could end her maternity leave after 12 weeks, leaving 40 weeks of the total 52 weeks she is entitled to.

Of those 40 weeks, she could take 30 off work, while her partner takes the other 10 weeks as leave.

Employment relations Minister Jo Swinson believes the changes will be good for children, by making sure they have a chance to spend more time with their dads at a really early age when psychologists reckon its important to bond.

She said: “Shared Parental Leave will kickstart a change where fathers feel empowered to take time off to look after their kids and not feel constrained by outdated stereotypes.

“We recognise that this isn’t going to be easy for those at the forefront of the change but we also know that for many dads the nerves they feel about having a conversation with their boss around leave will be worth it in the end.

“Countless research studies show that more time with dads early on leads to better outcomes for children, not to mention the special family bond it creates.

“We also know that many employers are incredibly supportive and keen to offer mums and dads more flexibility.

“Employers will see the benefit in terms of staff loyalty and providing women the option to return to work earlier.”

To find out more and, just as importantly, whether or not you qualify, the Government’s department for Business, Innovation and Skills and work-place mediator Acas have published a guide to Shared Parental Leave which includes these steps.

* To check who is eligible for Shared Parental Leave, visit https://www.gov.uk/pay-leave-for-parents.

* Leave can be taken in a number of ways, for instance, doubling up in the early days after the baby is born, or swapping halfway through.

* The Government is urging parents-to-be to tell their employer as early as possible if they want to take shared leave, partly because it gives everyone more time to plan. Also, the law says employers are entitled to have at least eight weeks’ notice of intention to take Shared Parental Leave.

* Some employers, including Shell, Deloitte, Linklaters, Price Waterhouse Coopers and the civil service, offer more than the bare legal minimum, so they say it’s worth finding out if this is the case with your employer, and if so, what is on offer, as it could be more than you think.

If your employer says you don’t qualify, rather than just taking their word for it, check it out. If it turns out that you are eligible, employers can’t just decide to opt out; of Shared Parental Leave, they have to take part.

To find out more, take a look at the guide on Shared Parental Leave published by Acas at: acas.org.uk/SPL