Family friendly policies

As an employer of choice, the University of Edinburgh recognises that many staff will have family responsibilities.

As separate employment legislation exists for many 'family' situations, the University has developed a number of separate policies as necessary. These include but are not limited to:

  • Adoption/Surrogacy Leave
  • Maternity Leave
  • Shared Parental Leave
  • Parental Leave
  • Paternity Leave
  • Time off for Dependants

All of these Policies can be found at the following link:

Please note that a full list of all HR policies relating to family leave can be found on the HR web page – please refer to the related links below.

  • Maternity leave toolkit
    • The university supplies a specific “toolkit” to help guide staff and managers through the maternity leave process. All information can be found on the HR webpage below.
  • Returning parents coaching programme
    • The University of Edinburgh is committed to supporting employees who are new parents. As part of this commitment, the University is providing you with expert support to help your transition back into the workplace. All employees returning to work from Maternity Leave, Shared Parental Leave, and Adoption/Surrogacy Leave are eligible to apply – please refer to the related links below.
  • Childcare
    • All you need to know about the Workplace Nursery Scheme, UK government's Tax-Free Childcare and Childcare Voucher Scheme – please refer to the related links below.
  • Caring for Carers
    • This guidance outlines the support available to employees who have a caring responsibility so that they can balance work with caring commitments and continue to be effective in their role.
  • Family Friendly Events
    • The Centre for Sport & Exercise promotes a few initiatives for family activities and family gym membership at discounted prices.
  • The PPLS Equality & Diversity Committee are also keen to ensure that as many colleagues as possible can attend important school level meetings and functions. Therefore we encourage meeting organisers to consider school term times when making these arrangements. Please follow the link below to view school holiday periods across the local authority area.

If you require a PDF document in an alternative format, such as large print or a coloured background, please email ppls.sso@ed.ac.uk or contact the PPLS Student Support Office.

Related links

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