Why we can no longer stay silent: AI, self proclaimed experts and SPL advice misinformation.

I have pondered whether to speak out on this topic for several months.

We are a positive brand with a hard-earned reputation. We are proud of what we have achieved—specifically, the thousands of families who have secured a longer, better maternity leave because of our support. We have no interest in getting into public rows. However, we also refuse to sit back while teachers are led into costly mistakes.

Teacher’s SPL began almost ten years ago as one person helping others, completely free for the first year, through Twitter posts, direct messages, articles in TES, and eventually a dedicated website. We grew slowly, building genuine expertise across every part of the UK school system: state schools, academies, tiny village schools, massive MATs, and independent schools. We have worked alongside headteachers who embraced SPL, business managers who resisted it, and leaders who tried to push back. We’ve stood by teachers when schools said no, when HR held misconceptions, or when staff weren't paid correctly, and we stayed by their side until it was fixed. We still do.

This post, however, is a direct warning about the growing volume of questionable advice flooding social media. A glossy 30-second TikTok reel with a cute baby might look convincing, but aesthetic content isn't legal expertise. Behind the catchy trending audio and polished videos lies a dangerous lack of substance. Shared Parental Leave paperwork isn't a social media trend—it's a complex, legally binding process.

People sharing their personal SPL experiences is great; it raises awareness, and the more teachers who know about SPL, the better. But since the rise of AI, there has been a worrying surge in individuals offering paid advice, selling generic PDF guides, using unchecked AI calculations, and declaring themselves experts overnight. (We bought one of these guides—save your money and read the free gov.uk website instead.)

Several of these new "experts" are actually former clients whose own SPL we planned and executed.

We are not claiming to be the only place you can go for SPL advice. But be wary.

Someone cannot launch a website and suddenly become an expert. AI tools make errors. We regularly receive emails from teachers asking us to look over AI-generated plans; while some are correct, many contain significant mistakes. Shared Parental Leave involves too much money to risk errors. Worse still, if you submit incorrect dates on legally binding paperwork, you risk being forced back to work far earlier than planned.

To give just one example: we recently saw incorrect advice dished out by a creator selling SPL products, claiming a partner cannot take SPL while the mother is still on maternity leave. This is wrong. A partner can take paternity leave and move immediately onto SPL—without the mother giving up a single penny of her occupational maternity pay. We pointed out this error privately, yet the misinformation continues to be sold.

At Teacher’s SPL, we have earned our reputation:

• Proven track record: Over 21,000 women advised through our paid plans, and thousands more supported via our free resources.

• Verified reviews: A 4.9 Trustpilot rating and years of public Google reviews.

• Industry trust: We don't just advise teachers—we train schools and trade union branches, including the NEU.

• Real accountability: We don't hide behind "no refunds" or disclaimers telling you to "check everything with HR." HR departments are frequently the source of the initial mistake. Instead, we carry full professional insurance. If we ever made a human error, your pay would be covered in full.

  
  

The choice of where to get advice is always yours, but please be cautious. Shared Parental Leave is a one-time opportunity to secure your family’s time and finances, and getting it wrong on legally binding paperwork can be devastatingly costly. We didn't write this post to sell our services, but because after a decade of standing alongside teachers, we felt a genuine duty of care to warn you about the risks out there. Whatever route you choose, make sure the SPL advice you rely on is genuinely qualified to protect you.