A Family Friendly University
Newcastle University is committed to supporting colleagues and students with parenting and caring responsibilities.
Newcastle University aspires to be a family-friendly university that provides 'best-in-class' practices and a supportive environment which allows both parents and carers to thrive.
Our University Executive Board approved a three-year funded project (‘For Families’) to look at both high level issues such as organisational culture and policies to smaller, more detailed amendments which would transform the institution into a leading family friendly institution.
Some of our leading policies and practices include
- A removal of service qualification periods for all forms of family-friendly leave – full occupational entitlement for time off and pay from the first day of employment
- The Returners Support Programme providing flexible funded support (up to £10k) for all colleagues returning to work following a period of parental leave. This scheme is open to academics and professional services.
- Paternity/partner leave entitlement of 4 weeks at full pay
- A ‘Family Time policy’ with paid provision and time off for those who are foster carers (up to 8 days paid leave) and those undergoing assisted conception (paid time off for up to 10 appointments for colleagues undergoing the treatment and their partners)
- Enhancing provision for parents of premature babies (Employer with Heart Charter)
- Introduced bereavement leave of up to two weeks for colleagues who experience an early miscarriage (<24 weeks gestation) and their partners
- A ‘Time for grandparents’ provision of up to one week unpaid leave when there is a new addition to the family
- A standalone Carers Policy which provides an additional 5 days of leave for colleagues with caring responsibilities
Find out more
Though the funding for the project has now come to an end, the work continues and is led by the University’s central EDI team. Email us to find out more about our support for parents and carers.
If you are a University colleague, you can find out more about the support for parents and carers via the pages below:
