Worried about training for job and childcare: ask the expert

Although you have applied for a part-time position, it may be that the training required will necessarily be longer than the part-time hours in which you will work would allow.
 
You would not, I believe, have a right to request to have the training in the hours for which you have you have applied to work, but that is not to say that they should not be sympathetic to a request such as yours.  Perhaps you can suggest doing the training over two sessions between 5 pm and 9 pm?
 
It may be possible to use the argument that you are going to be a part-time employee and therefore you are being treated less favourably in relation to training being arranged for a full day, but firstly you are not yet a part-time employee and, secondly, it may be that everyone is simply offered this day because it  is commercially easier to arrange one day’s full training for all employees.
 
If this is the case, perhaps the better approach would be to try to arrange childcare just for that day of training, making it clear that it is difficult to do, but you have made an exceptional effort since you are keen on the position.  You probably don’t want to rock the boat before you have even taken up the position since this may not be advisable going forward.

Laura Livingstone is an employment lawyer for Davenport Lyons in London. Her practice focuses on contentious and non-contentious employment work, but she leans towards the non-contentious.  She has advised a wide variety of corporate clients in all areas of employment.