Support for PGRs with parental or caring responsibilities

We want to make sure that all members of our postgraduate research community who have parental or caring responsibilities feel supported throughout their time at the University of Birmingham.

This page provides information about the support available to postgraduate researchers (PGRs) with parental or caring responsibilities at the University of Birmingham, ways to build community, and external resources.

University Support

The University has several baby change and feeding rooms on campus. Find your closest one on the University Campus Map.
Balancing postgraduate study with parental or caring responsibilities can have a financial impact. Make sure to explore all of the financial options available to you, including the Doctoral Loan, the Guild Hardship Fund, and the Parents’ Learning Allowance.
The University has three day nurseries that are close to campus as well as an award winning Forest school, while there are also lots of other childcare providers in Birmingham. Please be aware that nursery spaces tend to be pre-booked far in advance, so you may need to enquire early.
The University also has a student pregnancy, maternity and paternity policy, which is full of plenty of useful information if you or your partner become pregnant or become parents e.g. through adoption.
The Research Skills Team offers a range of workshops and training opportunities for PGRs, including increasing your productivity, co-working sessions, and effective reading and note-making strategies. You can also book for a one-to-one appointment.
PGRs with parental or caring responsibilities may also be interested in joining the University Graduate School’s online group coaching programme, which allows you to meet other PGRs and work through common issues that researchers face.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, College Wellbeing Teams, and Student Disability Service also offer a range of support.

Building Community

PGRs are welcome to join the Staff Parents and Carers Network, which supports and advocates for those with parental or caring responsibilities.
The Guild of Students has a Student Parents & Carers Network, which PGRs are welcome to join. PGRs are also welcome to join other Guild of Students societies and groups.
The University Graduate School holds regular and inclusive community-building events with its friendly UGS (PGR) Scholars, including an annual family friendly Easter social – find out more on Eventbrite!

External Support

The Family Information Service is based in the Birmingham city centre, and provides parents and carers to find childcare within the Birmingham local authority.
Gingerbread is a charity for single parents. Their helpline is 0808 802 0925.
Support for carers is available through Age UK, Carers UK, and Carers.org, while the NHS also has plenty of advice and guidance available.
Birmingham Connect to Support provides information and services to people with caring responsibilities in the Birmingham area, while Birmingham Carers Hub offers advice, community groups, and events for people with caring responsibilities.

Top Tips from Current Students

“Be honest with your supervisors about your need to balance academic opportunities with your parental or caring responsibilities. If you have the school holidays coming up, try to avoid setting deadlines close to that week. There is always room for negotiation as long as you openly discuss this with your supervisors.”
- Sixth Year PhD Student
“Let your brain relax. Going from parenting and working life to academia offers a gigantic amount of intellectual freedom that workplaces do not. Take some time to indulge in ideas, take some books out of the library and sit with your feet up and read through them. Write your thoughts out as much as you can, engage the parts of your curious mind that get repressed in the drudgery of day-to-day life. Your brain needs stimulation, not just exercise, and now you’re at an all-you-can-eat buffet!”
- Second Year PhD Student
“Reach out to the fabulous PGR community! The PGR community is a wonderful, diverse, and supportive group who have a wealth of experiences and who are always willing to help others. Sometimes it is the quiet, informal chats where you learn how to balance your identities as a researcher and a parent or carer. This is also a great way to realise that you are not alone in this journey and that those worries about not being good enough – or the doubt that you will ever remember the difference between epistemology and ontology – are not unique to you.”
- Sixth Year PhD Student
“Remember to take care of yourself. Allocate time for exercise, hobbies, and relaxation. A well-balanced routine will help you stay focused and energised and be the best researcher and parent or carer you can be.”
- Third Year PhD Student