My employer changed my hours and I cannot cope with childcare

You have a statutory right to ask. Under Part 6AA of the Employment Relations Act 2000, all employees can make a request for flexible working arrangements, including changes to hours, days of work and place of work. The request must be in writing, and your employer must respond within one month. They can only refuse on specified business grounds, such as inability to reorganise work among existing staff, planned structural changes or a detrimental effect on quality or performance, and must explain the reasons. If the change to your hours is unilateral, check your employment agreement for whether the employer has the right to change your hours or requires your consent. If the request is declined, you can raise a dispute through MBIE mediation or the Authority.