For Student Parents

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• General Resources
  • Dean of Students Office
  • Office of Work/Life Resources
  • The Cambridge Child Care Resource Center
  • Babysitter
• Types of Care for Younger Children (under 5)
• • Childcare centers
  • Nursery schools/preschools
  • Family providers
  • In-home care

For School Age Children

• Public Schools

General Resources

The Dean of Students Office is a resource for parents at the law school. Are you thinking of having a child? Are you worried about balancing parenthood with law school? Set up an appointment to meet with Cathleen Collins, Associate Director for Student Services (617-495-1880). Our office also oversees the on-campus nursing room that is equipped with a hospital grade breast pump, refrigerator and lounge chair. In order to access the nursing room you must contact the dean of students office. The nursing room is only available to Harvard affiliates.

The Office of Work/Life Resources helps members of the Harvard community meet family-related challenges, and in particular helps with childcare and schooling questions. The office serves as the liaison with the six Harvard-affiliated childcare centers. Staff can connect parents with Harvard and community resources and provide general information about choosing childcare and school options. A Family Resource Handbook, published by the Office of Work/Life Resources and by the Medical Center of Work and Family, is available upon request. Parents are invited to begin by consulting the office’s website. P: 617-495-4100

The Cambridge Child Care Resource Center is a resource and referral agency and a great clearinghouse of information on childcare in the area. On their website, there is a search form to locate local care options specific to parents’ needs. There are also a number of helpful free publications including a list of questions to ask and things to look for in choosing a childcare provider and a listing of Massachusetts’ childcare regulations.

Babysitters or other part-time or occasional care is usually found through referrals. In all cases, parents should be sure to ask the babysitter for references and previous experience with children. Some suggestions:

• The Harvard Student Employment Office can give parents a list of students willing to babysit or accept the parent’s notice seeking a babysitter.
• Private agencies are listed in the yellow pages but generally charge much higher fees. Parents in a Pinch is one such agency providing a range of services including last minute babysitting.

* If parents know they will be needing childcare, it is never too early to do research, contact potential providers, or put their name on waiting lists.

Types of Care for Younger Children (under 5)

Childcare centers provide care in a group setting with planned activities. The children may be grouped according to age or placed in a mixed-age grouping. The staff are trained and supervised, and the centers are open every weekday, except in severe weather or during holidays or vacation. Most childcare centers offer full- and partial-day enrollment; a parent selects and pays for a specific time slot. A childcare center must be licensed by the state’s Department of Early Education and Care and conform to the EEC regulations for staff-to-child ratio, group size, staff qualifications, and facilities. Centers will vary in philosophy, size, number of qualified staff in each classroom, site and facilities, degrees of parent participation, and whether they are for profit or nonprofit.

There are six Harvard-affiliated child care centers in Cambridge and Boston. Each center is independently operated and manages its own enrollment:

Botanic Gardens Children’s Center
26 Robinson St, Cambridge
P: 617-496-0595; E-mail
Fax: 617-496-8428
Kathleen Parrish, Director; Amy Abelli, Assistant Director

Harvard Yard Childcare Center
25 Francis Ave, Cambridge
P: 617-576-0107; E-mail
Fax: 617-576-0107
Kaori Hattori, Bonnie Ryan, Co-directors

Oxford Street Daycare Cooperative
25 Francis Ave, Cambridge
P: 617-547-3175; E-mail
Fax: 617-491-1492
Michelle Taylor, Director; Courtney Martell, Assistant Director

Peabody Terrace Children’s Center
900 Memorial Dr, Cambridge
P: 617-496-9160; E-mail
Fax: 617-496-9051
Katy Donovan, Director; Maura Sullivan, Assistant Director

Radcliffe Childcare Centers, Inc.
10 DeWolfe St, Cambridge
P: 617-495-3504; E-mail
Kathy Amon, Director; Julie Gillcrist, Assistant Director

Soldiers Field Park Children’s Center
1 Soldier’s Field Park, 101, Boston
P: 617-495-2680; E-mail
Vaughan Cate, Director; Melissa Chieppo, Assistant Director

Nursery schools/preschools offer group programs for children who in most cases are at least two years and nine months old. They usually run for three hours, from 9 a.m. to noon. Extended days are often available, with some programs running until 3 p.m. or later. Nursery schools are also licensed by the EEC. The schools vary greatly as to philosophy, emphasis, and degree of parental involvement. Some cooperative nursery schools involve parents in their day-to-day operations and therefore are somewhat less expensive. In order to be assured of a space, it is advisable to apply at the beginning of October of the year before the child will enter.

Advantages:

• The staff has experience and education in early childhood/group care.
• A sufficient number of adults is available for supervision and individual attention.
• Childcare centers are usually open year-round and are not affected by teacher vacations and illnesses
• Activities are age-appropriate.
• The facilities are usually in spaces specifically adapted or designed for childcare.
• Parents have access to a community of other parents.

Disadvantages:

• Centers usually cannot accommodate early, late, or flexible schedules.
• Most centers and nursery schools cannot accommodate sick children.
• Some children, especially under age three, may not be ready to be with a larger group of children.
• Nursery schools usually do not operate for a full day, and they tend to follow the school year, closing for school vacations, holidays, and the summer.
• Availability may be limited at certain times of the year or for certain ages.
• Costs, especially for infants, can be high (as much as $1600/month for daily full-time care).

Family providers are licensed by the state’s Department of Early Education and Care to take care of a limited number of children in their private homes. Family providers run their own businesses and set their own policies and rates. They also generally offer flexibility in enrollment and fee structure. Family providers may care for up to six children without an assistant, provided that no more than three of the children are under two years of age and at least one of the three is at least 15 months old and can walk unassisted. Large family childcare homes can be licensed to care for up to 10 children; however, there must be at least two providers.

Family providers vary in terms of experience with children, the nature of activities, the physical environment, availability of materials/equipment, and the number of children they care for. It is important to visit the family day care home, speak with the provider, and make detailed arrangements in advance.

Advantages:

• Providers are often flexible about scheduling care.
• Family childcare openings are easier to find mid-year and on short notice.
• Providers may be flexible about caring for mildly ill children.
• The same person cares for the children all day and can share complete information with the parent.
• The parent–provider relationship is often individualized and close.
• Generally less expensive for infants and toddlers than other types of care.

Disadvantages:

• Family childcare providers generally have less training than childcare center staff.
• Family childcare providers generally work alone with groups of up to six children. However, some do have full- or part-time assistants.
• The social network for parents is smaller in family childcare, and there are generally fewer parent training opportunities than in other types of care.
• When the provider is ill, has an emergency, or suddenly goes out of business, parents may need to quickly find alternative childcare unless the provider has an assistant or other back-up.

In-home care is a system in which children are cared for by a live-in nanny or au pair, or by a caregiver who comes to your home on a daily basis. Generally, this childcare arrangement provides the parent with the most flexible hours and, if necessary, more hours of care than group or family care. An au pair is generally a young adult from another country who is in the United States for a year as part of a cultural exchange program, who lives with a family, and who can provide limited childcare assistance. For in-home providers, it is essential to carefully check references.

Advantages:

• It is convenient and generally offers greater flexibility than other forms of care.
• All of the children in a family can be cared for in the same place at the same time.
• There is no need to transport your child.
• The childcare continues if your child is sick
• It can minimize your child’s exposure to colds, viruses, and other illnesses.
• If you have several children, in-home care may be a more economical choice.
• The parent, as the employer, has the opportunity to determine much of the activity.

Disadvantages:

• A child can feel isolated being home all day with only the provider. You may need to make arrangements for your child to be with other children occasionally.
• It can be difficult to find a good provider. Once found, a provider may suddenly become ill or move away, forcing you to begin another search.
• There may be some restrictions on your space and privacy if you have a provider living with you.
• In-home providers are unlicensed. There is no state agency to which you can appeal for confirmation of a caregiver’s claims or reputation.
• It can be difficult to monitor the activities that go on in your home in your absence. For this reason, the screening of applicants is essential.
• In-home care can be the most costly kind of care available.

For School Age Children

Public Schools: Each city or town has its own public (government run) schools for children aged 4 or 5 to 18. By law, these schools are free for those who live in the community. The school year normally begins in early September and continues through the third week in June. You must contact your local school department to inquire about its enrollment procedure. In general, to register a child in school, parents should bring proof of the child’s age (either a birth certificate or passport), current immunization records, and proof of local residency.

• Cambridge Public School District: P: 617-349-6400 (main line)
• Somerville Public Schools: Parent Information Center, P: 617-625-6600, x6962

* International students: Please note that as long as you live in a community, that city or town is obliged to enroll your child in its school system, regardless of your nationality, the timing of your arrival, or the length of your stay.

The information on this page has been researched and provided by the Dean of Students Office. If you find that any of this information is no longer current, or if you have additional questions that are not answered here, please contact the Dean of Students Office.