{"id":287,"date":"2025-09-16T15:56:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T15:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/pafs\/?page_id=287"},"modified":"2025-09-16T15:56:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T15:56:12","slug":"welcome-to-pafs-parent-and-family-support","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/pafs\/welcome-to-pafs-parent-and-family-support\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome to ‘PAFS’- Parent and Family Support."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to established and new PAFS members for the academic year of 2025\/26. We also welcome support staff and stakeholders who visit this page for more information about this amazing group of University of Exeter students, post-docs and ECRs. Please look out for announcements and updates for upcoming events. If you wish to get in touch, please feel free to contact one of the committee members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PAFS Summer Fun Day at St Luke’s Campus 2024<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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PAFS Community Picnic 2024<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Parent and Family Support (PAFs) is a community of university wide student parents that currently has 100 registered members from the University of Exeter, with individuals choosing to attend inclusive events that best fit their schedules and family responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially proposed in 2023 and developed with a Research Culture Activity Award (RCA), the initiative was developed to address the isolation often experienced by student-parent PGRs, balancing academic work with family life. Now the group is co-supported by a wonderful body of students and grown into a pro-bono initiative, relying on the generosity of volunteers’ time, small funding pockets, and resources. The group has expanded to support a wider community, as well as ‘mature-mature’ students with or without children, and postdoctoral researchers, at the University of Exeter who were drawn to our inclusive community.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PAFS, a peer-led programme<\/strong> offers meet-ups and events throughout the academic year, including guest lectures, informal coffee mornings, and family-centred activities held on campus. It also offers regular support and social space, where students and researchers can connect<\/strong> and share experiences. By fostering a sense of belonging and advocating for inclusive-family-friendly spaces, PAFS contributes to a more supportive and equitable higher education environment at the University of Exeter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PAFS Community Iftar 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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PAFS Community Iftar 2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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PAFS Family Food Cultural Exchange<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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PAFS Family Fun Day 2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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PAFS meet up throughout the year!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Our Journey: PAFs Events Since Launch in 2023<\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since its creation, PAFS has hosted a wide range of events to support and connect student parents, caregivers, and their families across the university community. What began as a small support space for postgraduate researchers has grown into a strong vibrant and inclusive network open to all student parents by 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PAFs Events and Initiatives<\/mark><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n