Family Centre
When you have family responsibilities, being a learner, educator or staff member can be a balancing act. The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Family Centre is here to help.
We offer tools and resources to support you as you face life’s challenges and care for your loved ones while making the most of your time at Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.
We’re also working hard to identify and address the family-related challenges our diverse community faces to provide a more family-friendly campus.

On this page
Support for
I'm looking for
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Family Centre resources
Access past workshops, sessions, webinars and more on YouTube.
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Baby change tables
Change tables are available on both campuses, locations are listed on the UM child care page.
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Nursing, chestfeeding and pumping
The child feeding room is located at 290a Brodie Centre (Bannatyne Campus) and requires swipe access. Click to request access by email - you will need to provide your name and employee or student number.
About the Centre
The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Family Centre is an evolving resource and support service connecting students and staff managing changes in their life with resources and services including:
- monthly parent discussion group
- resource materials
- public use computer to register for maternity leave and employment insurance benefits and to apply for child care, etc.
- assistance finding child care as the University transitions back to in-person work/studies
- help locating suitable nursing space on campus or clinical placements sites
Contact us
We’re listening and want to hear from you – please let us know of any resources or services you would like to see on our webpage and in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Family Centre. Our goal is to provide you with information and services you need in a quick and direct way.
Email your questions, requests or feedback to FamilyCentre@umanitoba.ca.
We look forward to welcoming you soon.
Support the Centre
To make a donation to the Family Centre, please use the link below.
Support
Experiencing a life change on top of everything else you’re trying to balance can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone.
The information contained on this website and in any links to third party sites is provided on an “as is” basis and is offered for general information only. The reader must accept full responsibility for the use of this information.
There is no guarantee about the accuracy, applicability, fitness or completeness of the information found on this website or in any links to third party sites. Such information is provided without warranty of any kind.
The University of Manitoba and its agents, employees and students disclaim responsibility to any party for any loss or damage of any kind that may arise directly or indirectly as a result of the use of or reliance on the information contained in this website, including in any linked third party sites.
supports for Life changes
Change your personal information at UM
If you have a preferred name change, legal name, gender designation change, or address change you will need to notify the university.
Students: full details are available on the Registrars’ Office website.
Faculty and staff: send an email to HRIS@umanitoba.ca with the name related or gender designation change you wish to make and HR staff will guide you through the process.
Employees can self-update an address change through the employee self-service portal via JUMP.
Updating UM eligible staff benefits
Faculty and staff can update their benefits to add or remove a spouse through SharePoint. You may also use SharePoint to add a new dependent.
For more information, contact your staff benefits generalist to discuss any questions regarding your benefit and insurance coverage.
UM counselling services
Counselling is available for students, faculty and staff confronted with challenges of all kinds.
Students
Visit the Student Counselling Centre’s webpage to learn more about available services:
Faculty and staff
The University of Manitoba Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) is a voluntary and confidential counselling service for all University of Manitoba staff and their families. Visit the EAP employee and family assistance program page.
Getting married
Health and nutrition
Legal name change
Mental health and wellness
Separation/divorce/custody
supports for Family planning
Become a foster family
Fertility and gynecology
Additional options
supports for Pre-natal or post-partum
Applying for parental leave at UM
For information about the process for applying for leave, please visit SharePoint.
Midwifery and doula care
After your baby's arrival
Nursing supports
- Baby Friendly Manitoba - help with breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding drop-in clinics
- Donating breast milk
- Le Leche League Canada - Manitoba
Winnipeg La Leche League phone support and groups: 204-257-3509
Breastfeeding hotline: 204-788-8667 (24/7 service)
Support resources and groups
supports for Parenting
Activity ideas (1-5 years old)
YouTube videos:
- When you can't go outside
- How to get your kids to play outside
- How to children outside. Should you force them?
- How to engage your kids in the kitchen
- Super Simple Songs
- Nature walks with preschoolers
- 30 toddler/preschool activities
- 10 DIY indoor activities for kids during quarantine
- 100 things to do with kids indoors
Free parent resources - Winnipeg
- Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting (PDF)
- Prairie Mountain Health (COVID-19 journal)
- Healthy start for mom and me
- Healthy families
- Winnipeg Public Library pre-school programs
- Assiniboine South early years healthy child coalition
- Fort Garry/ St. Norbert healthy child coalition
- Fort Rouge/ River Heights parent-child coalition
- Harrow United Church rhyme and storytime
- KidThink
- Louis Riel School Division Family Centres
- River East Transcona School Division Kinder Links
- St. James-Assiniboia Parent Child Coalition
- St. Vital Parent Child Coalition
- Seven Oaks School Division
- Nest Family Centre
Free parent resources - areas outside Winnipeg
Kids crafts and activities
LGBTQ parenting
Special needs parenting
Additional resources
Supports for Child care
On-campus
External
Supports for Senior care
supports for Death
UM spouse, dependent, employee or retiree
Spouses or eligible dependents
If a spouse or eligible dependent passes away, you will need to contact the Staff Benefits Office. Staff Benefits will update the records and arrange for spousal/dependent life claims, if applicable.
Employees
If an employee passes away, the department will need to contact the Staff Benefits Office, who will check if any benefits are payable.
The department of the employee will need to complete a cessation form.
Retirees
If a retiree passes away, the family will need to contact the Staff Benefits Office, who will check if any benefits are payable.
The staff benefits office can be reached at benefits@umanitoba.ca
UM compassionate care or bereavement leave
University Governance capture compassionate care or bereavement leaves within the leave of absence governing document. There you will find information on qualifying criteria and the benefits UM staff are entitled to.
Grief support
Financial benefits
Facilities
Gender inclusive bathrooms
Bannatyne campus offers neutral bathroom facilities in the following locations:
- Apotex Centre, room 132 (first floor)
- Basic Medical Sciences, 6th floor near elevator
- Chown Building, room A284 (second floor) room 396 (third floor) and room 496 (fourth floor)
- Clinical Learning and Simulation Facility (CLSF) rooms 34C, 35C and 36J
- College of Rehabilitation Sciences, second floor room R225
- Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, room D235K
- Joe Doupe Recreation Centre
- Medical Services Building, basement tunnel
- Neil John MacLean Library, rooms 353 and 355
- Pathology Building, P307 3rd floor
Change tables
Bannatyne campus offers change tables in the following locations:
- Apotex Building, rooms 102 and 109 (first floor)
- Brodie Centre, rooms 171, 172 (first floor) and 275 and 276 (second floor)
- Clinical Learning and Simulation Facility (CLSF) rooms 34C, 35C and 36J
- Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, room D127
- Medical Services Building, rooms 208A and 209A (second floor)
- Neil John MacLean Library, room 353
Child feeding room
The University of Manitoba campuses are a safe space to feed your child anywhere on campus.
The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Family Centre offers a private and quiet area if for nursing, chest feeding and pumping. Located at 290A Brodie Centre, the child feeding room is available to all staff, faculty and learners.
The room is equipped with a sink, fridge, microwave, change station, two couches and a table for your comfort. The space also has toiletries, including diapers, baby wipes, disposable nursing pads, pads and tampons.
How to access this space
Email the Family Centre to gain access to the child feeding room. Please include your name, department and your employee or student number in your email. If you require a nursing space in your College or clinical placement, let us know and we can look into finding an ad hoc space that can you can use.
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Family Centre
Room 280, Brodie Centre
727 McDermot Avenue
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V6 Canada