The Working Parents of Centrica

There are 13 million working parents in the UK. 

If you’re one of them, like I am, you know just how difficult it can be to navigate work, childcare, and everything in between. It’s a constant balancing act, and as working parents, we often find ourselves stretched thin. 

That’s why the Working Parents Network at Centrica has been such a game-changer, providing a supportive community for parents across the business. 

The Balancing Act

93% of working parents in the UK say it’s vital for employers to offer support. 

But many still face challenges – whether it’s complicated policies, rigid work schedules, or managers who don’t fully understand the demands of parenting. With the lasting mental load of juggling both work and family, having a supportive community at work can make all the difference.

From creating a flexible culture to offering specialist support, there’s so many ways organisations can champion their working parents. At Centrica, it’s been great to see that happen more and more over the years, both through impactful policies and the Working Parents Network.  

My Story

When I returned from maternity leave at the start of the pandemic, I was working from home with two young kids. I was struggling with imposter syndrome and it was a lonely place – I needed someone to wrap their arms around me. 

Being invited to a Parental Returners Session gave me exactly what I needed, connecting me with other parents across the business. It’s also when I first learnt about the brilliant Working Parents Network.

The Network quickly became a safe space for me, where I felt seen and heard, helping me to build the confidence I needed to balance a career and a family. As the months and years went by, I gradually got more involved, starting as an Events Lead and eventually serving as a Co-Chair.

The Working Parents Network - Not just for mums 

When people think of working parents, they often think of mums like me. But one of my favourite things about the network is our passionate Dad's community. We have a specific Dad's Group that’s home to 250 members, as well as 6 fathers on the committee. 

What the Network and Centrica are doing 

The Network focuses on creating a safe space for parents, so mums and dads can bring their whole selves to work, and reminds colleagues that they can be a parent and have a career.

We run webinars based on specific areas that our members need help with. Recent topics covered everything from sibling rivalry to grief, and even first aid training to provide practical advice to parents.

It’s also crucial that everyone in the business is aware of the Network and able to access parental policies, so we spread the word at engineer roadshows, and promote policies and events on our Teams page and parents site.

Meaningful policies 

Having a support system that everyone has access to is crucial – but it’s equally important to offer policies that help parents thrive. These can be a lifeline to many:

• Pathway to Parenthood is a fertility policy supporting families as they try to start their family

• Dependency days for when your child is ill or childcare falls through

• FlexFirst for flexible working, so parents can attend important school events and never miss their child’s school assembly or sports day

• Childbirth benefits for new parents 

• Access to our Carers leave policy if your child has a disability or is neurodiverse

• Supporting line managers to help them best champion parents at Centrica

Plenty to Celebrate

While there’s still a long way to go, there’s so much to be proud of. 

With our membership doubling to 1,500 in the past three years, we’ve worked hard to make sure all support offered is truly helpful, and will make a difference. From evolving events based on member feedback, to creating subgroups (e.g., for dad's and parents of neurodiverse children), one of our main priorities is ensuring the group is relevant and inclusive to all. 

It’s also been exciting to promote volunteering and make it accessible to parents. We formed a partnership with a great charity, Baby Basics, launched Parent & Child Volunteering – a lovely way to use a school holiday day, and save a day of leave whilst contributing to the local community – as well as promoting school volunteering opportunities.

Looking Ahead

But this is just the beginning.

When I went to my first Parental Returner Session, I would never have envisaged getting involved with the Network so deeply. It’s such a huge part of my work and home life.

I’m so proud of what the Network and Centrica have achieved so far. Moving forward, I’d love to see us improve our Parental Returners experience further, offering a community to new parents, as well as continuing to promote the wonderful parental policies Centrica offers.

Because at Centrica, you don’t have to choose between being a parent and having a career — you can do both, and thrive.