Page Updated: 20th July 2022
Welcome to the Parent Buddy Programme. The Parent Buddy Programme facilitates UCD employees preparing to be parents, going on and/or returning from maternity, adoption, paternity leave, parental leave or with children of any age to connect with a Parent Buddy who is an employee and a parent in UCD.
The Buddy programme is an informal arrangement connecting you with employees to give advice and tips on preparing for parenthood and balancing parenting with your career.
Buddies support colleagues in the following ways:
The role of a buddy is to be a confidential informal support for the employee. Buddies are not a replacement for professional services and supports. Buddies should refer employees to HR and University policies to ensure consistent, up-to-date and accurate information.
Children: 1 child
Contact me about: Work/life balance, bilingual household, Lived in both Cork and Dublin for a number of years before my child was born and when he was growing up (till he was 3 years old).
Children: 4 children
Contact me about: Managing maternity leaves, working part-time, parental leave, sustaining an academic career as a parent of small children.
Children: 2 children
Contact me about: Parenting, work-life balance, having a family as an expat in Ireland, just to talk?
Children: 3 children
Contact me about: work-life balance; juggling everything; living in Dublin; extra-curricular activities with kids
Children: 2 children
Contact me about: Returning to work in UCD following a (unintentional) career break
Children: Twins – a boy and a girl
Contact me about: LGBT parents through surrogacy. Parenting twins during COVID. Work/life balance.
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Children: 3 children incl. twins
Contact me about: Twins, work/life balance, (I tutor and lecture half of my working week during term time.) I also run an architectural practice with my wife. Local knowledge about being a parent in Rathmines/Ranelagh.
Children: 2 children
Contact me about: Multicultural, ethnically diverse, bilingual co-parenting; managing the transition back to work; childcare; travelling with kids; balancing work commitments with children; co-parenting with both parents in employment
Children: 3 children
Contact me about: Support, balancing work and family commitments; Pre & Post-maternity leave or any other family-related leave; part-time working
Children: 2 children
Contact me about: managing small children and research, transitioning from PhD student to Post-Doctoral Researcher and parenting, relocation.
Children: 2 children
Contact me about: balancing work and family commitments, being an older parent, local supports.
Children: 3 children
Contact me about: Birthing, hypnobirthing, returning to work after maternity leave, living abroad with children, relocating with children, work/life balance, child-care, school system.
Children: 1 child
Contact me about: Surrogacy, balancing work and family commitments, travelling with kids, co-parenting with both parents in employment, local supports
Are you a parent working at UCD? Why not become a buddy and support employees who are expectant parents or parents who have recently returned to work at UCD?
The role of a buddy is to be a confidential informal support for the employee. Buddies are not a replacement for professional services and supports. A briefing on the role of a Buddy will be provided. Buddies should refer employees to HR and University policies to ensure consistent, up-to-date and accurate information.
You can support colleagues in the following ways:
This support could take the form of meeting for a coffee, an email or a call. Employees may have questions for Buddies about preparing to go on leave, transitioning back into the workplace, being a new parent and balancing workload, childcare arrangements, etc.
This support could take the form of meeting for a coffee, an email or a call and during the Covid-19 period will take the form of a Zoom call. Employees may have questions for Buddies about preparing to go on leave, transitioning back into the workplace, being a new parent and balancing workload, childcare arrangements, etc.
Buddies are available for up to a year or for as long as both employees and Buddy consent to continuing the relationship.
For further information on the role of a Buddy, see the Buddy Programme Code of Practice and Supplementary Covid19 Guidelines.
You are available to be a Buddy for a year or for as long as both employees and Buddy consent to continuing the relationship.
A lunchtime briefing will be organised for buddies in advance of launching the programme.
Please fill out the expression of interest form and email it to (opens in a new window)edi@ucd.ie.
We welcome and encourage diverse employees of all genders who are parents to register as a Buddy.
Please read the Code of Practice prior to filling out the expression of interest.