Student Parents and Guardians
Pregnancy and Caring Responsibilities
We want to ensure support is offered to all students: becoming a parent or having caring responsibilities should not be a barrier to any student successfully completing their studies.
The University has a Pregnancy and Maternity Policy which outlines the support it will take for students and the role staff have in providing the support and guidance.
The University can put in place a tailored support plan to coordinate and support students during the pregnancy. You can reach out to your personal tutor who will be able to support with this.
Notifying the University of a pregnancy:
Students are encouraged to declare their pregnancy to the University however, this is not a requirement.
When a student informs the University that they are pregnant, have given birth within the previous six months or are breastfeeding a specific risk assessment must be carried out by the tutor, project leader, Health & Safety Manager or Health & Safety Local Officer as appropriate.
In addition to the risk assessment, a student who wishes to continue with their pregnancy should be invited to complete a Student Support Plan with their Personal Tutor or Supervisor from their Faculty.
Information held by the Faculty regarding a student’s pregnancy, maternity, partner leave etc. must be held securely and confidentially by the Faculty.
Maternity-related absences and maternity leave:
Students should be allowed to take maternity-related absence following the birth of their child for up to one year. There is no requirement that the student must automatically take a year out, but this will need to be discussed with the Faculty to see what may be reasonably possible, as how long a student will be able to take will be determined by their personal circumstances, Visa requirements, the structure and content of the programme, take account of any professional body requirements and the Academic Regulations.
If you are an International Student on a Tier 4 Visa, it is recommended that you keep in touch with the International Student Advice Service regarding implications of an absence from the programme or an extension to the time they need to complete the programme will have on their status in the UK.
Paternity / Partner Leave:
Eligible students can choose to take up to two weeks’ paternity/partner leave starting on any day within 56 days of the actual date of birth. Students on a Tier 4 Visa will need to make an appointment to see an International Adviser in the International Compliance & Advice Service regarding implications of an absence from the programme or an extension to the time they need to complete the programme will have on their status in the UK.
Adoption
If the student is the primary adopter, a Support Plan should be developed in line with this guidance. If the student’s partner is the primary adopter, upon formal adoption of the child, the student should be allowed time off from studies in line with the advice in the sections provided below. More information can be found in the Pregnancy and Maternity Policy.
Students taking adoption leave have the same entitlements as students taking maternity leave.
Abortion
If you find out you are pregnant, you may decide not to continue with the pregnancy. This choice is yours alone, no one can force you to either keep or terminate a pregnancy. In the UK it is possible to get an abortion up to the 24th week of pregnancy. Deciding to end a pregnancy may be a straightforward decision for some, but for others it can be a more challenging or upsetting consideration.
While some may want to talk to people in their community about whether to terminate a pregnancy or not, not everyone is safe or able to do so. Under the NHS, all people seeking an abortion can receive advice from a trained pregnancy counsellor. It is also possible to get impartial advice from organisations such as Brook (for under-25s), BPAS, MSI Reproductive Choices UK and NUPAS. You may want to reach out to the University Wellbeing Service for ongoing support.
There are three ways to access an abortion
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Requesting a referral for an abortion from your GP. Note that a GP may refer you to a different doctor in the practice as a doctor holds the right to conscientious objection. They cannot however negatively influence you or share their beliefs as a means of causing you distress.
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You can also request an abortion directly from an abortion care provider such as:
British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) +44 (0) 3457 30 40 30
MSI Reproductive Choices +44 (0) 345 300 8090
National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory Service (NUPAS) +44 (0) 333 004 6666
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You can contact your local sexual health clinic and ask for a referral to an abortion service.
Miscarriage, Still Births and Neonatal death
A student who has a still birth or whose baby dies shortly after birth should be entitled to the same length of maternity-related absence and financial and wellbeing guidance as a student whose baby is not stillborn.
Extenuating Circumstances (EC)
Under the EC policy, pregnancy and pregnancy losses are accepted circumstances to submit an EC. Evidence will be required, and you will need to provide an appointment letter or medical letter. For further guidance on completing an EC, please click here.
It is very important that Tier 4 students seek advice from an International Student Adviser so they are aware of any visa implications any absence from the programme, or any extension to the time they need to complete the programme, will have on their status in the UK.
Caring Responsibilities
You can also submit an EC for exams due to childcare difficulties, which is considered an acceptable circumstance.
A letter from a registered childcare provider detailing the circumstances, including reason for the late cancellations will need to be provided.
Pregnancy and Maternity Links:
brook.org.uk
fpa.org.uk
Menopause
For students going through the menopause, we want to ensure support is in place for your wellbeing and academic needs while at university.
This is an acceptable circumstance for submitting an EC, but you will need to be registered and have the GIP in place.
You can register with the student wellbeing services at the University and have a Greenwich Inclusion Plan (GIP) confirming that you have a fluctuating long term medical condition.
For more information see Accessing Greenwich Inclusion Plans by clicking here.
Report and Support
We want Greenwich to be inclusive and supportive for all students. However, if you or someone you know have experienced bullying and harassment, gender-based violence, including sexual assault, or hate incidents, you can report it to the University through the Report and Support tool.
Reporting can be done anonymously or speaking to an Advisor who can help guide you through what support and next steps.
Networks
The Women’s Liberation Network is a space for self-identified women students studying at the university to raise any concerns they are experiencing or get involved in campaigns ideas with the GSU officers. You can find out more and join here.
Societies
You can explore all of the Societies offered by GSU here.
Get in touch
If you need any further help and support, please get in touch with the advice service by completing our contact form here.