Parents Attending Law School

RWU Law is committed to supporting our students who are also parents and to helping them and their families manage the challenges of balancing school life and family life. 

At RWU Law, we recognize that students who have the added responsibility of parenthood while attending law school face unique issues and circumstances. The Office of Diversity and Outreach, in collaboration with the Associate Dean of Student Life and Operations and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, provides many resources and services to support our student parents/students with families and happily assists students who have questions about  child care, local school systems, course schedules, housing and related concerns. 

Resources and Services Available 

  • Referral assistance and resource materials for parents seeking childcare. 
  • Information about school vacation and recreational summer camp programs for children
  • Information about family-friendly housing options
  • Support for the Older Wiser Law Students (OWLS) student groupand collaboration with OWLS to sponsor programs related to balancing school and family and to hold family-based social activities
  • Ability to appeal your financial aid package and request additional aid to cover childcare costs.  For more information, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at 401.254.4641
  • Private space for nursing mothers

Academic Support

RWU Law also offers our student parents options that allow them to fulfill their academic/course obligations while avoiding or minimizing conflicts that may arise with their parental obligations (for example, childcare obligations) and are unavoidable despite a student’s best efforts to avoid or resolve such conflict.  With regard to academic concerns, we can help our student parents with the following support and resources:

  • Options for taking a reduced course load
  • Options for rescheduling exams if they are in direct conflict with an unavoidable parental obligation
  • No evening or weekend classes or exams for first year students.
  • Scheduling required classes at different times in order to give scheduling flexibility that accommodates childcare needs
  • Flexible sectioning options to accommodate childcare needs

Childcare Options For Parents Attending RWU Law

We know that juggling law school and parental obligations is challenging.  Just as working parents need to make childcare arrangements for their children, so do student parents attending law school.  There are a host of childcare options available to student parents and we know that each student parent will make regular childcare arrangements that are best for his or her individual family situation.  However, we also understand that there are times when the schedules of the law school and your child(ren)’s school and/or childcare facility are in conflict, making regular childcare arrangements unavailable.  Roger Williams University does not have on campus day care; however, there are local childcare facilities that can offer back up or other child care to RWU Law students when your primary childcare is unavailable. 

While Roger Williams University and RWU Law are not affiliated with any of the organizations below (and affirms that there are other childcare options in and around the area that may be more convenient or otherwise suitable for you), and we advise each individual to contact the organization directly to confirm information regarding discounts, daily rates, and other details, we offer the following as a few options that may be helpful to you as you search for primary and alternate childcare for your family.  Please understand that RWU/RWU Law make no endorsement and undertake no inspections of, and assumes no responsibility for, the childcare and/or camp facilities listed herein.  No information provided here creates a legal relationship between students, parents, the University/School of Law or any third party regarding such facilities.

In addition to the childcare facilities, below are two local options for childcare during certain school vacation weeks and the summer.  (Again, we recognize that there are many other options available and this is not an exhaustive list.)

Local Childcare Options

The Island Child Care Center

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399 Hope Street, Bristol, RI

Phone: (401) 396-5600; Contact Person: Leslie Mills and Ann Hackett, Owners

Email: ticccbristol@gmail.com

The Island Child Care Center is a licensed school located in the heart of downtown historic Bristol. It also has two locations in Portsmouth.  It offers a fun and nurturing early childhood learning environment for ages six weeks through Pre-Kindergarten. The Island's educational program includes a "planned free play" environment which provides the setting and conditions for exposing and introducing children to various age-appropriate, self-directed learning experiences. The children enjoy weekly thematic curriculums designed to meet each child's individual needs. The Island uses the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS) to build a strong and balanced foundation of emotional, social, cognitive, physical and language development  It provides large, spacious classrooms in a safe, secure and air conditioned environment. The children exercise and learn about the beautiful nature around them in The Island's large fenced-in playground. It is open year round, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Children’s Workshop

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410 Child Street, Warren, RI 02885
Phone: (401) 247-2503; Contact Person: Abbie, Director
Email:  warren@childrensworkshop.com
Website:    www.childrensworkshop.com

The Children’s Workshop serves children from 6 weeks to 12 years old.  It is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  It can also provide emergency/back up care for any child who is a registered member of the facility.  Tuition includes breakfast, hot lunch, and snacks.  Additionally, its before and after school programs provide bus transportation to and from elementary schools in Warren, Bristol, and Swansea.  The Children’s Workshop also provides summer camp options.  Discounts are available for Roger Williams University faculty, staff and students. 

StoryLand Preschool

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180 Mount Hope Ave, Bristol, RI 02809
Phone: (401) 253-1280; Contact Person: Andria
Email:  aaac85@yahoo.com

Website:  N/A

StoryLand Preschool serves children from 18 months to 12 years old.  It is open year round, Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m; however, it is closed on all legal holidays.  It offers highly flexible full-time and part-time enrollment options, a preschool program and a summer day camp.  Additionally, it can provide emergency/back up care provided it has your child’s medical and other necessary information.  Tuition includes breakfast and afternoon snack.  Discounts are available for RWU students and DHS child care assistance is accepted. 

Child Opportunity Zone (Vacation and Summer Camp Option)

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COZ (pronounced COZY) provides summer camp for children entering kindergarten through grade six in elementary schools throughout Bristol and Warren.  The camp runs from the end of June until mid-August and operates between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.  In order to enroll in the camp, a child must be a resident of the Bristol-Warren area and be a student of an elementary school within the region.

For more information, please contact:

COZ Coordinator: Patricia Brissette
Office: (401) 245-1460 X 1375
Cell: (401) 639-8815
Email: brissettep@bw.k12.ri.us

Blithewold Mansion Gardens & Arboretum (Vacation and Summer Camp Option)

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101 Ferry Road (Rt. 114), Bristol, RI 02809 
Phone: (401) 253-2707 x21
Fax: (401) 253-0412 
Email: info@blithewold.org

Website: www.blithewold.org

Blithewold offers February and April vacation camps, as well as summer vacation camp.  The summer camp has a different weekly theme each week.  Regular camp hours run between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.  Early Bird drop off and after care extended pick up times are available for additional fees.  For more information or to register your child, please call the number above or visit the website.

If you are or will be a parent attending law school and have any questions about resources, courses, schedules, etc., please contact our Director of Diversity and Outreach so that we may assist you.

Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.