Not sure where to start?

A few words to help you find your way around

"A variety of leave options and other benefits are available to staff with family and caring commitments."

 

 

LSE is committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all of its forms. This includes actively promoting a culture across the School which enables working parents and carers to thrive. From 1 January 2023, support for parents around LSE has been enhanced by these positive changes to our maternity and paternity policies:

  • The removal of the qualifying period for staff to be eligible for contractual (i.e. full) maternity and paternity pay.
  • Contractual maternity pay has increased from 18 to 22 weeks.
  • Contractual paternity pay has increased from 2 to 4 weeks. 
  • The updated Maternity Policy now includes Neonatal Leave (for up to 12 weeks) at full pay for any parent whose baby requires hospital treatment for 7 days or more. 

You can find updated versions of these policies in their relevant place within this toolkit, as well as on LSE's A-Z policies webpage. The approval of these enhancements by SMC followed constructive discussion with the Parents and Carers Network and trade unions. 

Collectively, the pages in this toolkit set out the latest resources available to support working parents and carers. As well as sections dedicated to explaining different family leave policies, these pages also explain the other leave options available to staff so that they can balance their work and personal lives.

It's also important to be aware of how other School policies interact with the options set out in this toolkit. In particular, the Flexible Working Policy is a key resource for parents and carers - whether it's enabling them to achieve a better work-life balance on an ongoing basis or supporting a phased return to work following a period away. If you're not quite sure which flexible working option could work best for you, or would just like to find out a little more about what flexible working looks like in the School, the Flexible Working Toolkit has all of this and more besides. 

Beyond policies, you'll find information about the partnerships agreed by the School with nurseries local to the LSE campus. Staff (and students) can benefit from discounted rates. What's more, there will be an LSE representative on the management committees of all three nurseries, so that the School can ensure that decisions made mean the best possible outcomes for our community. 

Within the School, the Parents and Carers' Network provides a forum for like-minded staff to meet and exchange experiences, tips and socialise. The Network organises regular meetings as well as events with both internal and external speakers on relevant topics.  

We hope that these pages are a useful resource. If you're a line manager, remember also that HR organises training on a range of topics including on family leave and caring responsibilities, e.g. through the LSE Manager: Bringing Policy to Life sessions. As always, get in touch with your HR Partner or Adviser if you would like to know more.