This section is for everyone who looks after children, whether full-time, shared care or occasional holiday or emergency cover.
You can find a selection of sources of local and specialist information below.
Childcare options for pre-school and school age children
- The Family and Childcare Trust provides factsheets and advice to help you select the best care option for your child. The Trust also offers advice on issues ranging from early home schooling to finding family-friendly venues for outings.
- You can find general information on both childminders and private nannies from the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) (formerly National Childminding Association).
- Southampton City Council, through the Young Southampton Trust, produce a searchable database of a range of available childcare. This includes facilities for disabled children. Away from the City, Hampshire Family Information Directory (FID) proves a county-wide service. Daycarenurseries lists private nurseries across Hampshire and beyond.
- The Early Years Centre on Highfield Campus may be able to provide emergency/short-term cover subject to capacity. Please note that your child must already be registered with EYC.
Out of school and holiday activities
- The University's Sport and Wellbeing service have an exciting range of Easter and summer holidays for children of most ages.
Low-cost activities
- Though not the easiest site to use, Dofreestuff is good national resource for free, or low cost, days out.
- Walking is always popular, and you can adjust most routes for smaller feet, and some are also suitable for cycling. The Hampshire and the New Forest website now extends to accessible countryside and dog walks. (Consider borrowing or buying a story bag for one of the story trails.)
- If you're exploring quieter parts of the forest and have a smartphone, you might like to contribute to the New Forest Cicada Project. Many sections of the traffic-free cycle trails listed by Sustrans are also suitable for walkers. In east Hampshire, the Shipwrights Way is similarly suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
Funding
- The University salary sacrifice scheme allows staff to purchase childcare vouchers for any form of approved (essentially, registered) childcare. In some circumstances the University can fund additional care for dependents to enable you to attend professional development events.
- The Family and Childcare Trust offer advice on funding, extending to families with disabled children, and to student parents.
Family support
- Parents can find a wide range of advice and support, including a helpline, through Family lives and its subsidiary, Bullying UK.
- Well known for its helpline for under 18's, ChildLine's website also includes information aimed at this age group about issues such as discrimination and mental health. ChildLine is run by NSPCC, who can offer active support with safekeeping and with some of the underlying causes.
- Young Minds is dedicated to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people
- Alzheimer's Society have developed materials to help explain dementia to children and young people.
Learning and language development (including bilingual development)
Children with disabilities
- Carers in Southampton - "Empowering the silent army" - offers telephone support as well as online resources.
Online Safety
- You can find ways to help your child stay safe online through the NSPCC's Share Aware scheme.
Other sources
- Find a Helpline brings together a comprehensive list of helplines for both carers and other sometimes specialised interests.
Links to external organisations are provided in good faith.
Children on campus - policy
This new policy has been developed to ensure reasonable and proportionate judgements can be made regarding access for children and young people in the workplace.