Foster care leave

Foster Care Leave

The University values the contribution to the community made by foster parents and the commitment of staff who provide foster care for children.

To support staff make the necessary arrangements to receive the child being fostered, and to settle them into the family home, a maximum of two days paid leave will be allowed following a formal fostering arrangement. This will be subject to a maximum of 4 days paid leave per year. This arrangement is only applicable to long term fostering, which would not normally be less than 6 months.

To be eligible for Foster Care Leave staff must have been continuously employed by the University for at least 6 months (26 weeks).

Applying for foster care leave

If you require leave for foster care, you should notify your Discipline Lead/Dean/Director at the earliest opportunity and provide relevant documentation in evidence of the arrangement. The People Support team will confirm your leave arrangements with you in writing.

Foster Care Leave is available for fostering children through the Local Authority or other recognised agencies and normally does not apply to the short or long-term care of children who are family members. However, foster care leave may also be available to members of staff where children of very close relatives would otherwise have to be fostered or go into local authority care for a period not normally less than 6 months.

Kinship care leave

If you are in a situation that you are having to provide care to children of an immediate relative you will be eligible to the same provision detailed within the Foster Care Leave policy.