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Childcare

On Campus Childcare

Information on childcare available on campus, through Little Learners nursery, and in the local area can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/essentials/Campus-and-Local-Area/Nursery-and-pre-school

Further information on childcare options available in Reading, including nurseries, childminders and after-school/breakfast clubs is provided on the Reading Borough Council Childcare website.

Government Childcare schemes

Tax-free childcare

The Government's Tax-Free Childcare programme enables eligible parents to claim up to £500 every 3 months (£2000 a year) for each child, which is paid by the government to your childcare provider.

Childcare vouchers

The Government closed the Childcare Voucher scheme to new entrants on 4th October 2018. Users who registered with the University's provider, Computershare, before this date are able to continue using the scheme, as long as they do not change employer.

Postgraduate researcher?

See the Graduate School's guide to bringing your family to Reading

Parental Leave

Parental leave (unpaid, up to 4 weeks per year) is available to any colleagues who have worked continuously at the University for at least 1 year and have formal parental responsibility for the child. This leave can be used by colleagues with dependent children who may want or need to take extra time off in addition to their annual leave.

For more information and the link to the Parent Leave Request form please see the Human Resources Family Leave page: https://www.reading.ac.uk/human-resources/policies-and-procedures/absence-and-leave/family-leave

Carers' expenses for conference attendance or work-related training

Although the University doesn't currently provide funding specifically aimed at those with caring responsibilities, funding may be available through external bodies such as those listed below:

Institute of Physics

London Mathematical Society

Royal Meteorological Society

Experimental Psychology Society

Royal Society of Chemistry

School-specific parental leave information

Information specific to individual School and Departments can be found below:

School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences - Parental Leave