Imperial College provides a generous package of family leave for all staff and offers a variety of options for students wishing to take parental leave. At both our White City and South Kensington campuses we have a private, bookable nursing room space for both staff and students.

Flexible working

Flexible working describes a type of working arrangement which gives a degree of flexibility on how long, where, when and at what times employees work. All employees, not just parents and carers, can request flexible working. Further information can be found on the College HR website.

Information for parents

Parents Network

Imperial College has created the Parents' Network which aims to provide all the relevant policies and information related to being a parent at Imperial in one place.

It includes information on maternity and paternity leave, risk assessments for pregnant staff members, adoption leave entitlement, shared parental leave entitlement, keeping in touch days, networks and support, returning to work, etc. Additional information for Imperial parents can be found on the Parents' Network website.

You can also drop in to 'Babies and Bumps' coffee mornings to chat to other parents, and a representative from HR to answer any HR-related questions.

Elsie Widdowson Fellowship

The Elsie Widdowson Fellowship Award provides funding that allows academic staff (Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader, and Professor) to concentrate fully on their research work upon returning from maternity, adoption, surrogacy and/or shared parental leave.

The Award enables the Department to relieve the academic of their teaching or administrative duties in order to concentrate fully on their research.

More information can be found on the HR website. (Please see the relevant case studies below, and feel free to contact staff members who are happy to share their applications with you).

Tax-free childcare

The Government's tax-free childcare scheme is available to all Imperial College employees.

More information can be found on the HR website.

Emergency care

Imperial College London has partnered with My Family Care, which is a leading organisation that delivers family friendly solutions (E.g. Emergency childcare, School holiday cover) for staff members.

You will need to register via the My Family Care website.

Early years education

Imperial College has an Early Years education centre which provides childcare and education services to children of Imperial's staff and students, aged between 6 months and 5 years. This is located in Prince's Gardens, South Kensington.

There will be provision of nursery places for the Imperial community close to the White City campus from July 2021 at the Old Oak Early Years Centre (see more information on the Early Years website).

Students with children

Please discuss your options with your Course Organiser/ supervisor/ Departmental Senior or PG Tutor as soon as possible. For example, it will be important to run a full risk analysis to determine whether or not there may be any possible adverse effects of the planned activities on your pregnancy and thus is will be important to develop an agreed action plan to mitigate all identified risks. Further information can be found on the Imperial students website.

Information for carers

Carers’ network

Imperial College London has created a Carers' Network, which aims to put everything related to being a carer at Imperial in one place. This includes information and guidance that can be accessed via the Carers' Network website.

Emergency Care

Imperial College London has partnered with My Family Care, which is a leading organisation that delivers family friendly solutions (E.g. Backup adult and Eldercare) for staff members.

You will need to register via the My Family Care website.