Carers & Parents Champion
Ros Simpson
Director of Human Resources
"My ambition is that colleagues feel able to speak comfortably about their responsibilities to ensure voices of parents and carers are heard and their experiences visible and taken into account when decisions are being made and polices being implemented.
In my role, I commit to working with my fellow SLT Champions where possible, to take into consideration the needs of parents and carers alongside those of our activities and business"
"I am proud to be the SLT Champion for Carers and Parents as it is an area that impacts so many people. An SLT Champion can be someone who seeks to understand the lived experience of people with a particular characteristic or who share an experience, and ensure their needs are considered in decision-making at the University.
I am particularly struck by the far-reaching impact that Covid has had upon colleagues, particularly those with caring or parenting responsibilities, or those who have acquired new caring responsibilities and learning what that means to their own personal situation and life. It is important that we continue to monitor changing needs and experiences so that our practice and policies are supportive and compassionate; key to this is encouraging ongoing conversations between staff and managers.
This area is one particularly close to me personally, as I have caring responsibilities for an immediate family member. I can therefore fully appreciate the very real challenges where colleagues find themselves balancing significant work responsibilities with the importance and need to prioritise time and activities outside work".
