Celebrating UAL’s industry-leading policies for parents and carers
- Written byDavid Morrison, Junior Designer, UAL Creative
- Published date 05 June 2025
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In 2022 University of the Arts London (UAL) launched a new parental pay and leave provision, offered to staff equally regardless of gender, sexual orientation or how they became parents. The UAL Parents and Carers Staff Network wanted to highlight this industry-leading package to new parents and carers across our organisation.
The brief
How might we support colleagues in their return to work, and help them feel connected when taking time out as a parent?
The creative idea
Pursuing a career whilst juggling the demands of parental and care work can be a daunting task. The Creative team wanted to recognise this fact with a design that conveyed warmth, welcome and support. We explored a range of concepts around themes of transition, growth and connection, before working with the network to narrow down to one route. The chosen route was inspired by children’s building blocks, creating a system based on interacting shapes. These are featured throughout the booklet, exploring themes of growth and work/life balance in a friendly and comprehensible manner. Green and blue were chosen as the booklet’s primary colour palette. Green as a hue of nature and growth; a bright blue conveying a tone of optimistic reassurance.
The design process
The Creative team took a people-centred approach to the project, foregrounding members of our community in our process.
We created a compact, informative booklet for colleagues returning to work which has a welcoming, supportive tone, clearly communicates the parental leave package that UAL offers, and the framework to support parents and carers unique journeys. There was also a need to create the booklet in print and digital formats, to meet the audience where they were at and make sure everyone could access the content.
Working closely with the UAL Parents and Carers Network we set up a photoshoot for portraits and interviews of colleagues about their experiences returning to work after becoming a parent or taking on a caring role. These interviews and portraits are featured throughout the booklet, providing a human face to a process that can otherwise feel daunting, impersonal and difficult to navigate.
As part of our process we always consider the environmental impact of our production choices. The printed booklet was offset-printed on loop birch paper, a carbon-neutral stock that is made from waste fibres using wind-powered production processes. The digital booklet is fully accessible, file size optimised and shared from 1 central location rather than email attachments to avoid duplication.
Meet the team
About UAL Creative
UAL Creative is University of the Arts London’s in-house design studio.
Since 2019 we have been building a team including alumni, recent graduates and occasionally students. We are a group of multi-disciplinary designers—freelance and permanent, Junior to Senior. Typically, you'll find the team working on: design strategy, design systems and campaign design including print, digital and animation for teams and projects across the University.
We are within the Communications Department in the Social Purpose Group and based at the High Holborn campus. We also work with designers through UAL Arts Temps, our university recruitment agency and jobs board, giving our students and alumni the opportunity to work freelance within our team.
Creative team
David Morrison he/him/his, Junior Designer, 2022 MA Graphic Communication Design, Central Saint Martins, UAL
Emily Sear she/her/hers, Senior Designer, 2012 BA Graphic Design, University of Hertfordshire
Rosie Stephenson she/her/hers, Junior Designer, 2020 BA Graphic Communication Design, Central Saint Martins, UAL
Stephanie Feather she/her/hers, Head of Creative, 2008 BA Graphic Design, Central Saint Martins, UAL
Collaborators
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Joey Knock, Equality Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Human Resources
Parents and Carers network
Keiron Craven-Grew, Event Project Facilitator, Central Saint Martins, Co-chair Parents and Carers Network
Rachael Lakhan, Student Communications and Engagement Manager, Co-chair Parents and Carers Network
