Spaces
Creating family-friendly spaces helps student parents connect with others and experience a sense of belonging for parents at U of T. Child-friendly spaces enable students to balance their roles as a student and a parent. Child care offerings support student parents’ freedom to fully participate in academic and student life of the university.
Consider Student Parent Needs
Design spaces that prioritize flexibility and autonomy for student parents and enable them to choose how to engage, whether independently or with their families. Actively consider student parents when planning spaces and explore opportunities to create inclusive environments that support both their academic and caregiving responsibilities.
What Students Told Us
Our research showed that students valued spaces and facilities designed to support parental responsibilities and flexibility to move between their dual roles and responsibilities. Students appreciated having spaces available around the university to comfortably take care of their children. Students highlighted the importance of – and challenges in finding – child care. Reliable and flexible child care options support students’ full engagement with their studies.
Suggestions and Examples
Resources
Infant-feeding Spaces & Change Tables
The Family Care Office and the U of T Map have a list of infant-feeding spaces and change tables available. Download posters for your spaces.
Download Posters
Infant-feeding Spaces
Display posters to help student parents discover designated infant-feeding areas in or around your space.
Stoller Parking
Display posters to help student parents discover designated stroller parking areas in or around your space.
Every Family Belongs
Display posters to help student parents and families feel welcome to participate in and around your space.
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Expand Child Care Offerings
Increase student parent access to child care across the three campuses. In addition to full- and part-time child care spots, consider offering flexible child care to allow students to drop off their child(ren) to allow them to fully participate in university life. Help student-parents to respond to unexpected situations and support their dual responsibilities.
What Students Told Us
Students highlighted the lack of available child care in the Greater Toronto Area as a stressor and barrier to their full participation in university life. Even students who have reliable, full-time childcare find that there are gaps on the weekend or after hours that prevent them from participating in campus life as much as they would like. Students described instances of mid-terms and the difficulty in finding child care on an ad hoc basis. Students shared that they had not realised they needed to add themselves to childcare waitlist so far in advance. Students highlighted a need for structural changes facilitating access to childcare.
Suggestions and Examples
Resources
Family Care Office Resource Centre
The Family Care Office has a list of child care resources and guidance on accessing child care for student parents.
Child Care Assistance
Explore child care assistance for student parents.
Back-Up Child Care & Babysitting
Explore back-up and occasional child care options for student parents.
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Improve Navigation
Ensure campus spaces and digital platforms are easily navigable by student parents searching for family-friendly spaces and supports. Make navigating the university campuses and university websites intuitive. Include directional signage, establish accessible routes, and ensure information presented is understandable and easily identifiable as of interest to student parents. Provide multiple avenues to access family-focused resources and programs to ensure that students are informed and aware about available supports. Offer information through multiple channels (e.g., digital or print), ensure communication is clear and inclusive, and tailor information to the unique needs of the community.
What Students Told Us
Students told us that they experienced frustration when the very supports and spaces that were created to support them were difficult to find or navigate. Many students felt confused when searching for resources online and anxious about whether they fully understand the information presented. When students were able to understand information about student parent resources, they made more informed decisions, which allowed them to focus more on their current student and parental responsibilities. Students also shared that they found it difficult to navigate physical spaces with children, citing a lack of clear signage about family-friendly spaces as well as accessible routes for strollers.
Suggestions and Examples
Resources
Annual Report: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) (2023-2024)
Read U of T’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Current Annual Report to learn more about accessibility requirements in physical and digital spaces.
Navi: Your U of T Resource Finder
Chat with Navi to discover Mental Health Resources, Admissions, Housing, Financial Aid, Careers, Getting Involved and more.
Download Posters
Infant-feeding Spaces
Display posters to help student parents discover designated infant-feeding areas in or around your space.
Stoller Parking
Display posters to help student parents discover designated stroller parking areas in or around your space.
Every Family Belongs
Display posters to help student parents and families feel welcome to participate in and around your space.
Discover more
Create Family-Friendly Spaces
Consider designing spaces that enable student parents to participate in university activities with their children. Child-friendly spaces aim to actively include students’ families on campus. These spaces may include small areas and activities for children within larger spaces, dedicated drop-in spaces for families, and nearby change tables or infant-feeding stations.
What Students Told Us
Our research showed that students wanted their identities as both a parent and a student to be acknowledged, as this helps them feel confident sharing their unique challenges. Students felt let down when opportunities were not inclusive of students with families and could not accommodate children. Students appreciated having spaces available around the university to comfortably take care of their children within university settings and shared they would like to see more places across departments on campus.
Suggestions and Examples
Resources
Family-friendly Spaces at U of T
The Family Care Office has a list of family-friendly spaces at U of T, including study spaces, workstations and student parent lounges across the tri-campuses. Contact the FCO if you’ve created a fabulous space that you think should be included. Contact the Family Care Office to request a “Every Family Belongs” sticker to put on your door.
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Encourage Spaces for Wellness
Provide students with a variety of wellness spaces and activities to participate in on campus. Wellness activities can provide moments of connection and balance to students with dual responsibilities. Create opportunities for students to learn about ways to implement sustainable self-care and integrate self-compassion in their day-to-day lives.
What Students Told Us
Student parents told us one of their greatest challenges and stresses is the amount of time in a day and the need for their attention to be constantly on their studies or their family. Our research showed that students valued discovering their own understanding of wellness. Student stories showed us that when they found ways to implement wellness depending on their circumstances and responsibilities, they felt more at peace in their everyday lives.
Suggestions and Examples
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Foster Family-Friendly Classrooms
Where possible, encourage classroom environments to be family-friendly so parents can bring their children to class in cases of emergencies. In classroom settings, provide this information in the syllabus or during lecture, empower student parents to comfortably share their needs and concerns, offer accommodations where possible, and support note sharing amongst peers.
What Students Told Us
Students told us about instances in which their regular child care arrangements fell through and they needed to attend class. Students expressed appreciation for faculty members who allowed their children to attend class with them on an exceptional basis.
Suggestions and Examples
Resources
Best Practices for Supervisors & Instructors of Graduate Students with Family Responsibilities
Explore the School of Graduate Studies’ Best Practices for Supervisors & Instructors of Graduate Students with Family Responsibilities.
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