Studying with a child

Since January 1^st, 2018, the Maternity Protection Act Mutterschutzgesetz (MuSchG) also applies to female students. Its purpose is to protect the health of the student and her child during studies, pregnancy, after childbirth and during the breastfeeding period.

Maternity leave for female students includes the following statutory provisions

• The maternity leave period is 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after the birth of the child.
  (In certain cases, 12 weeks)
• During the term of protection, there is a relative ban on the participation in exams and courses: Students are excluded from examinations and courses during this period. However, at your own (written) request, you can still participate during the protection period before and after childbirth. You can revoke your consent to participate at any time with effect for the future.
• During pregnancy and the breast-feeding period (first 12 months after birth), students have the right to be exempted for checkups related to pregnancy and for breast-feeding of the child without any disadvantages.
• Rules regarding exams
  There should be no disadvantages due to pregnancy, childbirth or lactation. These are to be compensated. The declaration to the university that the student wants to continue her studies despite maternity protection can only be revoked before the exam. If examinations are abandoned, the general regulations of the examination regulations of the universities apply, as in the case of a disease.

Exemptions from prohibition of employment/training for pregnant students

• Visits to the training facility between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. are possible if:
  a) The wish is explicitly declared to the university
  b) Participation is necessary for training
  c) No irresponsible risk arises from working alone
• Visits to the training facility on Sundays and holidays are possible if:
  a) The wish is explicitly declared to the university
  b) Participation is necessary for training

The revocation of a declaration for night, Sunday and holiday work/study is possible at any time - but only for the future.

There is no legal obligation to report pregnancy to the university. However, notification is a prerequisite for the claim of the regulations. To report your pregnancy to the university, please contact the Office for Family, Equal Opportunities and Diversity.

The Maternity Protection Act for reference:
Federal Office of Justice: Gesetze im Internet - Mutterschutzgesetz 2018 (german)

Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth: Brochure Leitfaden zum Mutterschutz (german)

Checklists

Federal Centre for Health Education: www.familienplanung.de

• Checklist: Administration procedures after the birth of the child
  Checkliste: Behördengänge nach der Geburt (german)
• Checklist: Custody and alimony
  Checkliste: Sorgerecht und Unterhalt (german)

A detailed list of financing options for students with children can be found under “Studis online":
Financial tips: Studying with a child: Finanztipps: Studieren mit Kind. (german)

In summary, the following options are available to you:

1. Parental benefits and ElterngeldPlus
2. Child benefits
3. BAföG and Kinderbetreuungszuschlag for BAföG
4. Alimony advance
5. Child allowance
6. Childcare expenses
7. School supplies package
8. Other: Increased need, maternity benefits, federal foundation - mother and child

Bavarian Family Benefits

 All parents with children of the age of one or two years are eligible for Bavarian Family Benefits. As it is independent from parental benefits it does not have an effect on them. People who have applied for and have been accepted for parental benefits in Bavaria do not have to submit an application. The application for parental benefits is simultaneously an application for family benefits.

The following requirements must be fulfilled for applicants to be eligible:

• The main residency must be in the Free State of Bavaria.
• Applicants must live in the same household as their child.
• Applicants must raise the child themselves and provide beneficial early childhood care.

Further information on this topic can be found at: ZBFS Zentrum Bayern Familie und Soziales

Further information on financial aid can be found under the following links:

Landratsamt Ansbach – Gesundheitsamt

Checklist information for pregnant women and young families
Checkliste Informationen für Schwangere und junge Familien (german)

Deutsches Studentenwerk:
Maternity protection for students (and BAföG)
Mutterschutz für Studentinnen (und BAföG) (german)

Nursing room with changing facilities

Building 92, GF, Room 15 (92.0.15)

Diaper wrapping

Changing facilities are also available in the spacious and daily cleaned barrier-free toilets:

• Building 92, GF (92.0.8)
• Building 51, GF, east (51.0.16)
• Building 50 1. Floor, east (50.1.13)
• Building 54, GF (54.0.3)
• Library
• Dining hall (87.0.15)

Dining

Highchairs are available in the dining hall for our youngest visitors to the canteen. A children's plate card (free addition to the parents' meal for children under the age of 10) can be applied for.

Children's area in the university library

For children who are in the university library under the supervision of their parents, books and toys are available in the children's area. Changing facilities are available in the nearby toilets of the university library.

Parent-child parking

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Office for Family, Equal Opportunities and Diversity – Simone Keller (simone.keller(at)hs-ansbach.de, Phone: 0981-4877-504).

There is the possibility of childcare by the “Miteinander" maternity center, which is located directly next to the campus in the Brückencenter. There, an individual and very flexible care time can be booked. The Mothers Center is a registered association. The university is happy to provide financial support for the membership fee of the “Miteinander” maternity center. To receive financial support, you can apply for subsidies for the membership fee. As a club member, the cost contributions for the care are significantly lower.

The grant can informally be applied for at the chancellor of the university, Mrs. Esther Schnetz (esther.schnetz(at)hs-ansbach.de). Further information about the Mütterzentrum can be found here: Muetterzentrum Ansbach.

Further information on other childcare options can be found here:

• Landkreis Ansbach: Kinderbetreuung
• Familienlandkreis: Betreuung von Kindern & Jugendlichen

The office cooperates with various advice centres and network partners in order to offer the widest possible range of advice and support.

Parents-meeting ”Treffpunkt Studieren mit Kind”
Once a semester, the parents' group of the university meets for breakfast in the “Offenen Treff" of the Mothers' Center in Ansbach. For a small fee per person, the food is provided by the Mütterzentrum. Highchairs, a changing table and toys are available for children. Previous participants felt the personal exchange and the community with other studying parents to be were very valuable.

Further advice centres:

Mütterzentrum Ansbach (german)

KoKi- Netzwerk frühe Kindheit (german)

Bündnis Familie Landkreis Ansbach (german)

Bavarian Family Services Network of the Universities

Under the following links you will find further information.

Parental benefits, ElterngeldPlus and maternity leave:
Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend: Elterngeld, EltergeldPlus und Partnerschaftsbonus (german)

Day care:
Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend: Kindertagespflege: die familiennahe Alternative-Ein Leitfaden für Eltern (german)

Under the following links you will find further information on counselling (german):

Social facilities City of Ansbach:
Stadt Ansbach: Ansbacher Sozialatlas

Health Department:
Stadt und Landkreis Ansbach: staatlich anerkannte Beratungsstelle für Schwangerschaftsfragen

Pregnancy counselling Ansbach:
Landkreis Ansbach: Leben im Landkreis- Schwangerenberatung

Pregnancy counselling:
Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Familie, Arbeit und Soziales: Schwanger in Bayern- Infos und Beratung für Schwangere und Familien

Pregnancy counselling at the Diakonie Ansbach:
Diakonie Ansbach: staatlich anerkannte Beratungsstelle für Schwangerschaftsfragen

Office for Family and Youth - contact persons and telephone numbers:
Stadt Ansbach: Amt für Familie und Jugend- Wegweiser Adressen und Telefonnummern