The Conference and Training Care Fund enables employees to claim back reasonable ‘additional’ costs necessarily incurred for the care of dependents when the employee attends work related training, including conferences, development events and training courses. The University is committed to promoting equality and supporting equal opportunities for all employees across the University and this initiative has been identified as part of that ongoing commitment. This fund is being introduced as part of a range of activities taking place, which have been identified as priorities via the Athena SWAN Institutional Self-Assessment work.
The aim of the fund is to further enhance equality of access to these types of development activities for employees where additional costs due to caring responsibilities would be incurred to enable attendance.
Funding for the Conference and Training Care Fund will come from existing local/Faculty Staff Development budgets and should be claimed as detailed in the Authorisation Flow Chart below, after initial authorisation from your Head of School/Line Manager in advance of the expense being incurred.
Claims of up to £250 will be approved if there is a payment to a third party in relation to additional caring costs of a dependent eg payment to a childminder, nursery or care provider for care outside of usual arrangements; or travel and accommodation costs for the dependent and a secondary carer (if required) to travel with the employee. All claims will need to be supported by the submission of original receipts.
Conference & Training Care Fund Guidance
Conference & Training Care Fund Authorisation
Flow Chart
Conference & Training Care Fund Authorisation Form