Support for HLS Parents

FAQs

• I am due or adopting during the semester and am worried about missing class. What options do I have?

  Students may receive up to two weeks of audio-recorded classes and/or note-takers for missed classes following the brith or adoption of a child. Both the Dean of Students Office and the Office of the Registrar are available to talk with you about arranging a manageable schedule in light of academic and parenting responsibilities.

• My baby is due or I am adopting during the winter semester and I’d like to know what my options are to fulfill the winter term residency requirement.

  The academic year consists of a fall, a winter and a spring term. Winter term is a three-week period in January each year. In order to graduate, J.D. students must complete three winter terms. LL.M. students must complete winter term during the year they spend at HLS.

  1Ls: All first-year J.D. students enroll in the January Experiential Term (JET) in the winter term.

  Upper-level students and LLMs: Some students enroll in HLS courses offered in the winter term and receive law school classroom credits. Other students devote the winter term to doing the research for or to writing a substantial paper under the supervision of an HLS faculty member through the Winter Writing Program.

  In some extraordinary circumstances, a waiver of winter term may be considered by petition only. Please contact the Dean of Students Office to discuss your options.

• What if I or my partner is due during final exams?

  The Dean of Students Office can provide you with exam supports. Examples include:

  • Permission to take breaks during exams
  • Separate testing environment
  • Ergonomic exam equipment
  • Possible exam deferments

  Supports are considered on a case-by-case basis and determined by individual circumstances.

• My partner is due during my time at HLS or I am adopting a child during my time at HLS. What sort of support is available to me?

  Supports are available for birth parents, adoptive parents, and partners. Supports provided to partners include but are not limited to the following:

  • Deferment of exams
  • Assistance with navigating course load and scheduling

  Please reach out to the Dean of Students Office for questions related to your particular circumstances.

• What if I want to take a leave of absence from HLS following the birth or adoption of my child?

  You may request to take personal or medical leave of absence from HLS. Please note that except in extraordinary circumstances and as approved by the Law School’s Administrative Board, students must complete the degree requirements for the J.D. within seven years of matriculation in law school. Additionally, students should note that some jurisdictions prescribe a shorter period of time during which the J.D. must be completed. Please refer to state-specific bars for timeline requirements.

  Students wishing to take a leave of absence should schedule an appointment with Lakshmi Clark.

• What sorts of financial aid options do I have?

  Financial aid eligibility for students with children may include additional fixed student budget items based on circumstances. These could be for increased costs in housing, food, personal expenses, and health insurance for a spouse and for each child. Parenting students who have a working spouse may have the cost of child care included in the determination of their financial aid eligibility.

  Additional information can be found on the Student Financial Services webpage for Married Students and Students with Dependent Children.

  If you have specific questions about your unique family circumstances, please contact your Financial Aid Officer at sfs@law.harvard.edu.

• I am on the student health insurance plan. What resources does Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) provide?

  There are several resources provided through HUHS, including medical care related to pregnancy and childbirth:

  • Obstetricians
  • Gynecologists
  • Nurse midwives

  Information can be found here.

  HUHS also provides pediatric care for dependents enrolled on the student health care plan. Additional information about coverage can be found here.

• How do I enroll my child as a dependent?

  When having a baby or adopting a child, your child must be added to your health plan within 45 days of the date of birth or adoption/placement. The coverage and the cost will be pro-rated to the day of the event. Your child’s birth certificate or statement of birth from the hospital (for newborns), legal documentation of adoption or guardianship, or DS-2019 form for international students is required to enroll a dependent. Please visit the HUSHP page on Maternity and the HUSHP page on Student Dependents for more information and to enroll.

• Are there other students on campus that I could talk to about parenting and/or pregnancy at HLS?

  The Dean of Students Office and the Office of Community Engagement Equity and Belongings hold many events throughout the year for couples and children. Please look for announcements about upcoming events.

  Additionally, the Harvard Students’ Spouses & Partners Association (HSSPA) is a volunteer-run organization open to the spouses and partners of all Harvard students, post-docs, visiting fellows and other affiliates. HSSPA provides a way for its members to make friends, find intellectual stimulation, and feel a sense of belonging within the University.

  Harvard Neighbors, a volunteer and membership organization, hosts an infant and toddler playgroup. The Infant & Toddler Playgroup invites parents with infants and toddlers (0-3 years) meet to share friendship, experiences and activities. Expectant parents are also welcome. Please contact Aileen Grunder.

  The Harvard Community Child Care Bulletin Board is an online portal to share child care and other parenting information with others in the Harvard community. (You must have a Harvard ID and PIN to sign in.)

• Does HLS provide emotional and well-being support for new and expecting parents?

  Yes, Harvard’s Counseling And Mental Health Service (CAMHS) on Campus is available to HLS students.

  If you would like to speak to a counselor straight away regarding a mental health concern please call The CAMHS CARES LINE at 617-495-2042 and Select the CAMHS Cares option to speak with a counselor. This line is available 24/7.

  The CAMHS website is camhs.huhs.harvard.edu/

  CAMHS Urgent Care appointments are available during business hours. Call (617) 495-2042.

  CAMHS Main location is: 75 Mt. Auburn Street (Back entrance of Smith Campus Ctr.)

   

• What kind of childcare is available in the Cambridge/Boston area?

  There are several childcare options in the area. Please find useful information below.

  On-campus Childcare

  Six nonprofit, independent child care centers are located on our campuses – five on the Cambridge campus and one in Allston near Harvard Business School. Each center is independent, and makes its own decisions regarding enrollment and curriculum.

  If you are interested in a place at one of these centers, you should visit those that interest you and apply as early as possible as places are limited. Generally, contracts run from September through July in the child care centers, although mid-year slots open occasionally.

  To learn more about the on-campus child care centers:

  Review contact information and rates

  View the centers on a map

  Off-campus Childcare

  High-quality, affordable child care is in high demand in the greater Boston area. The following resources are designed to make your search a little easier:

  Use Harvard’s online child care bulletin board to exchange child care information with others in our community.

  To get a list of licensed family day care providers and group child care centers in your community, visit the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.

  Several nonprofit agencies are members of the Massachusetts Child Care Resource and Referral Agency and can help you find child care.

  Child Care Circuit serves several towns near Harvard’s campuses including Arlington, Belmont, Medford, Newton, and Watertown, as well as many others.

  Community Care for Kids serves Braintree, Cohasset, Dedham, Hull, Milton, Needham, Quincy, Randolph, Wellesley, Weston, and Weymouth.

  Cambridge’s Department of Human Services Program (DHSP) offers pre-school and afterschool care for children ages 2.9 through 5 years of age. Children can be placed on a waitlist beginning at one year of age. Placements are made based on availability; therefore it’s important to add your child to the waitlist as soon as possible. Please visit the DHSP website for more information.

  Back Up Child Care Service

  Harvard Law provides students with free access to a Care.com membership, subsidized in-home child and backup adult care, and subsidized backup care at child care centers.

  Care.com Membership at a glance

  Learn more about membership with Care@School and Backup Care

  Public School for School-aged Children

  Each city or town has its own public schools for school-aged children. You must contact your local school department to inquire about its enrollment procedure. Information about Cambridge Public School District can be found here or by contacting the Family Resource Center, 617-349-6551

  Please visit Harvard’s Work/Life website for additional information about childcare and parenting supports.

  Private School for School-aged Children

  Several private and independent school exist in the Cambridge/Boston areas. The Association of Independent Schools of New England is a useful resource to start with:

  Association of Independent Schools of New England
  aisne.org
  600 Longwater Drive, Suite 208, Norwell
  781-982-8600
  info@aisne.org