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We are a trusted community of parents, carers, career coaches, legal experts, thought leaders and supportive friends.
Grace Papers is designed for working parents and caregivers, by working parents and caregivers. We are here to provide you with support, knowledge and confidence – and a vision and plan – for your career ambition, that still gives you the freedom to care for self, care for others and care for the community.
Learn more about how we support parents and carers via our Employee Experience Platform.
Research shows that taking parental leave and working flexibly can expose you to unintended biases that can impact your career goals. It’s a systemic issue, but our strategies, guidance and support ensure you keep in touch and remain visible to keep your career on track.
Find out how 
Articles
August, 2019 – Innovative SAAS parental leave & flexibility platform, Grace Papers, has announced two new high profile additions to its growing team in Australia.
As the social change business continues to expand rapidly, new hires Kristy Macfarlane and Kate Gilson bring with them an incredible depth of insight and experience in diversity and gender equality leadership.
As she counts down to baby number two, we chat with Cassandra Smarrelli, the People & Culture Manager at The Woolworths Group about her advice for returning to work with confidence and the importance of creating a professional vision.
To understand intersectional feminism, we spoke with Dr Emma Fulu, who offers both her expertise and lived experience of intersectional feminism.
The empowerment of one woman has the ability to unlock the potential of any number of women she is connected to in work and in our community. So what could be better than a book dedicated to women supporting women?
Innovative thinking from a leader determined to keep his female talent, Daniel Proietto, Head of the Employment Practice at Lander & Rogers, heard about a successful job-share from one of his clients, and pitched it to long-term colleagues, Amie Frydenberg and Emma Purdue.
The maternal wall is a term coined to describe the drop in career success that female employees often experience when they become pregnant or return to work after parental leave.
When Julie McKay fell pregnant mid-negotiations with PwC CEO Luke Sayers, she wondered whether those two pink lines meant the end of the conversation. As she embarks on her second parental leave, we spoke to the now PwC Partner for Diversity and Inclusion about her career to date, and how she makes it work as a partner working 3.5 days a week.
Kelly Crosthwaite and her partner Beth have taken turns being the full-time stay-at-home parent as well as the full-time worker. Here, she writes about how they have supported each other, their family and the important role her workplace has played.
For survivors, #metoo is both empowering and exhausting. Publicly, there is a push for women to come forward and tell their stories, but my concern has always been that this process, without significant change to reporting expectations, can cause more damage to those victims who are expected to relive their experiences - this time, of course, with public scrutiny.
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Its one of the most devastating outcomes in any pregnancy - a baby growing inside its mother suddenly, and often inexplicably - dies. And sadly, it happens to 1 in 100 Australian pregnancies that reaches 20 weeks gestation. What can workplaces do? Well for one thing, ensure that their parental leave policies are inclusive of parents of stillborn babies, allowing them the time and space to heal physically and emotionally from this tragedy.
For many women, the decision to return to work after having a child can be focused far more on how many days they want to work, rather than what they actually want to do and what they ultimately want from their career.
Many workplaces assume that when you have a baby, two things are inevitable: firstly, you will fall so in love with that baby that you will lose all your career ambition, and secondly, you’ll also lose your confidence.
Keeping in touch is good for your personal brand, and is a great way to reduce the likelihood of losing your confidence and missing out on potential opportunities while you are on parental leave. Find out why and how you can make the most of it.
It has to be the one of the strangest moments: communicating the most personal of information about yourself and your body to a human being you usually only have a professional relationship with. So, how do you tell your boss you’re pregnant AND keep your career on track? Here are our top 5 tips.
It is still commonly assumed that women, once they become mothers, are less ambitious than men. And that is especially the case for those seeking to work part-time: according to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, while women make up nearly half of the workforce, full-time women comprise just one in five employees. But what does the evidence say?
Live coaching events
Our live coaching events help our community connect and find their voice on issues that matter. Sessions are virtual and feature an inspiring range of professionals and industry leaders who share both their expertise and lived experience, as we address everything from career and care to health and happiness. Best of all, the coaching format invites you to ask your questions too.
If you would like to join us for a live coaching session, please submit your request below and we will be in touch with steps to register.
“I really appreciated the chance to participate in recent Grace Papers online events. It felt like an opportunity to celebrate the workplace flexibility that was being simultaneously experienced by all the participants as a result of the COVID restrictions at the time. Grace Papers and its program has always provided me with the reassurance that ‘I am not alone’ and given me strength to really consider what I want my work to look like after having children.
From these recent events, the question of ‘what sparks joy in your role’ really struck a chord with me. I’ve also thought a lot more about the rituals in my life that are important to me and how best to work with those around me to communicate my needs. It encouraged me to ponder the value of the softer leadership skills in today’s world. I have also thought a lot more about the role models and potential sponsors in my life that can further assist me in working towards a fulfilling return to work.”
Elspeth DeFanti
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Victoria
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