Relocating with Family

Nursery age child

 

Things to consider when relocating with family.

If you are relocating with a family there are many additional considerations. Bristol is a great place to raise a family, work and have a social life too!

Never be afraid to ask for advice from sources such as the University's International Advisers, your new manager, colleagues that you will be working with, friends that may live in Bristol already, and family. There is a wealth of advice out there which may help as you begin the process including the Working Families website which provides useful information.

As a start here are a few fundamental things to think about when relocating.


Support with finding work for Spouses / Dependants of working age

The University has a Temporary Staffing Service (TSS) who would love to discuss potential placements with any working age dependants who may be coming with you. There are many benefits to joining the TSS. The joining process is clearly set out on their web pages and if you have any questions feel free to get in touch on tss-mail@bristol.ac.uk.


Childcare and Schools

Think about childcare and schools, perhaps even before you start looking at houses.   

Childcare prior to starting school (0 - 4 year olds) is not usually available free of charge and can be expensive. Expect to pay a minimum of £35 per day per child. Nurseries are usually upwards of £50 per day.

Contact nurseries/childminders and enquire about waiting lists. Many parents choose to put their children in nursery/childcare that is located nearer to their work location than home.

The University Day Nursery and Woodland House Nursery allow you to benefit from a salary sacrifice scheme where their fees are deducted from your salary before tax. Their admissions policies can be found on their websites but please be aware that the waiting lists for a place can be very long. 

Check out the Bristol government website (https://www.bristol.gov.uk/schools-learning-early-years/school-admissions) for the Schools admissions process.     

UK education can be a complex and difficult system to understand especially when trying to make important decisions about your relocation.

Children are required to attend full-time schooling from the age of 5. Depending on when their birthday falls, many children will start school at the age of 4. Children would normally attend school nearest to their home, as priority is given to children who live within a school ‘catchment area’.

The progression through school is as follows:
Primary school: age 4 to 11 (this can sometimes be divided into Infant School for ages 4-7 and Junior School age 7-11)
Secondary school: age 11-16
Sixth form: age 16-18 (pupils can continue this at their secondary school or attend further education college or sixth form college)

If a child leaves school at the age of 16 they must remain in some form of education or training for at least 20 hours a week such as apprenticeships, work experience, part-time education, volunteering or training.

The UK Government’s Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (known as Ofsted) is the body responsible for regulating and inspecting schools and other childcare providers. The most recent reports for these providers can be found on their website (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted). 

When making decisions about schooling you need to think about the type of school you wish to place your child in. The main divide in the UK school system is between state schools, which are funded by the government and free to attend, and independent schools which charge fees.


Support with childcare costs

The UK Government runs a number of schemes to help with childcare costs, including Tax-Free childcare. Follow this link to find out more information https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs


Relocating with Pets

The UK has a rabies free status which means that the import rules are stricter than many other countries, please ensure you refer to the UK Government website (https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad) if you are considering relocating with your pet.

The following are things that you will require to bring your pet to the UK:

Other considerations to consider for pets travelling to the UK are:

You should also be aware that bringing dogs to the UK and bringing cats to the UK requires a slightly different process. It is sensible to allow at least 30 days of planning time. Starting the process 1 to 3 months ahead of your date of travel allows enough time to organise the detail and deal with any challenges that may arise along the way.


Networking

Expatriate networking opportunities such as Facebook groups and expatriate groups (https://www.internations.org/) provide a good opportunity to help you connect with other people that have relocated to Bristol and things they have found helpful.

Parent and toddler groups are a great place to meet parents, carers and grandparents with children your child's age, and your child can make new friends too. There are a huge variety of groups to choose from in Bristol in most areas of the city. Googling parent and toddler groups in your local area is the best way to find listings.