Month: April 2026

When Caring and Academia Collide: The Silent Struggles of Academic Parents with Extra Caring Responsibilities by Barbora Jedličková

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Academia strongly values perseverance; the ability to keep writing, teaching, publishing, and producing even under pressure, uncertainty, and exhaustion. Despite many changes and policies, the culture quietly assumes that life’s disruptions can be managed around the edges of our work, that crises can be compartmentalised, and that any interruption is temporary and productivity can continue. But what happens when life delivers something you cannot simply “work through”? What happens when your child is fighting for their life, or living with a serious, chronic condition that requires significant presence, advocacy, and constant emotional labour? What happens when caring and academia collide? 

For many academics who are also parents-carers, this collision is not an abstract question. It is a lived reality – daily, relentless, and often invisible. I write from that place: I am an academic and a mother of two, one of whom has special needs. My story is not unique. It is one of many that remain hidden behind office doors, muted in meetings, or buried beneath the professional mask we learn to wear in order to cope and survive when life is intense. Yet, these stories matter deeply, because they reveal the human cost of a system that was not originally designed with carers in mind. A system that has been evolving; a system that can do better. 

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Turning the Bones: Navigating Grief Whilst Completing a PhD by Chris Wainwright

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It is said that elephants have a unique way of honouring their ancestors. Every year, they revisit ancient burial sites which hold their deceased kin. Cautiously, they approach the graves of their relatives. They pause. Then, to an onlooker, they engage in what appears to be an act of desperation. Carefully touching and examining the bones and tusks of their ancestors, they take a few moments to solemnly reflect. In turn, new herds then approach the carcasses and perform their own ritualistic memorial.

To those who have experienced grief, however, this is no act of hopelessness. It gives the pain, spiralling thoughts, and memories meaning. Those who know this pain understand that grief has no time limit. No fixed point of closure. But these moments of reflection, turning the bones, gives us the strength that we need to move forward. 

When my counsellor first told me this story, I don’t think that I truly understood it. It took time to understand how to “turn the bones” and honour the passing of my own father figure. In the past, when I’d faced challenges, I would find a way to distract myself, release emotion, or ruminate my way out of problems. But the passing of the only father I’d ever known presented new challenges, all of which attacked my nervous system, my spirituality, and my mental health in ways which I couldn’t curtail. Both the lead up to his passing, and several months after, were physically, emotionally and cognitively draining. Those issues were compounded by being on the other side of the world, and only six months into a PhD. 

However, two years later, I find myself writing this blog in a different headspace. I’m on a plane, returning to Australia after spending Christmas back in the UK, with only a few months of my PhD remaining. Although it’s only the second time I’ve returned home since his passing, I can finally say that I’m ready to “turn the bones” and share my story in this blog. Here, I hope to empathise with others who know the pain of losing a loved one, discuss the unique challenges that academia presents while grieving, and share my insights about how we can support others to make life feel a little easier. 

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Walking in Two Worlds: My Journey as an Aboriginal Academic by Sharlene Leroy-Dyer (Garigal/Darug/Awabakal)

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Walking in two worlds as an Aboriginal academic has meant learning to balance not just knowledge systems, but also my own wellbeing—especially within university spaces that often overlook the mental and emotional labour we carry. This blog is both a reflection and an offering: I share how grounding myself in Country, culture, and kinship has supported my mental health amid the unique pressures of academia. By weaving together stories of resilience, community, and cultural practices, I hope to show that looking after our wellbeing isn’t just personal, but deeply collective. Through my journey, I’ll explore ways we can nurture ourselves and each other in universities—holding space for rest, truth-telling, and cultural safety, while honouring both ancient wisdom and the realities of modern campus life.

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