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Family matters

University family life

Childcare

Wider caring reponsibilties

Discovery

The University hosts very popular annual family-oriented events, staffed by both academics and students. See our event news and calendar page for the full listing.

If you are a teacher or school governor, you can find out more about outreach work (for example visits to schools) from individual departments, or our central outreach team.

Performing and visual arts

Mayflower Theatre

The biggest theatre on the south coast with over 2,300 seats, presenting a mix of West End musicals, dance, opera, drama, ballet and comedy.

Turner Sims Concert Hall

Presents a varied range of classical, jazz and world music performances as well as amateur choirs and some of Southampton's youth orchestras.

The Phoenix

Southampton's independent film society - showing the best of world cinema at the Student Union.

Harbour Lights Picture House

This shows a range of both popular and art films, plus live transmissions of theatre and opera productions.

Theatre Royal Winchester

A beautiful 400 seat venue, rich in history in the heart of Winchester with up to 200 performances per year.

Plaza Theatre

Home to Romsey Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society set in an art deco venue.

Sports

The University's Sport and Wellbeing facilities are centred on the pool and gym at the Jubilee Sports Centre. These are available to staff, students and local residents. Over the summer holidays, kids can take a crash swimming course or join in holiday activities. The University has three watersports centres, while the Student Union oversees a wide range of clubs and teams.

Most parents will have to find some form of care for their children while they are working. The University's Early Years Centre provides cover for children under the age of five. You can also buy childcare vouchers under the Salary Sacrifice scheme to use with this or other services.

Options for pre-school children

There are many options for help with caring for your pre-school children. The Day Care Trust website provides factsheets and advice to help you select the best. The overriding message is that you should consider, and visit, several providers before making a decision. For example, if you live some distance from campus (or have to travel frequently), what will be the best location for a day nursery? Should you consider a childminder close to your home who can be a little more flexible on hours?

Local nurseries:

The Early Years Centre - on Highfield campus is a day nursery catering for 108 babies and young children.
Taplins Childcare - at Southampton General Hospital provides similar daycare plus a summer playscheme for older children.
Yellow Dot day nursery is a local option for NETSCC staff and others working on Chilworth Science Park.

Childminders and nannies

Most childminders and all nurseries are now required by law to be registered with, and inspected by Ofsted. Exceptions to the requirement include childminders looking after children over 7, au pairs and private nannies and relatives.

You can find more information on both childminders and private nannies from the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY)

Do you, or a colleague, have the responsibility of looking after a partner or other relative who is frail, disabled or has a long-term illness?

With a growing ageing population and shrinking resources for community care, individual efforts may be largely invisible and unthanked.

Known as the 'sandwich generation', many middle-aged adults are now supporting not only their children but their parents.

Below are some sites that are there to support you: