Resources for ACCESS-eligible Faculty Colleagues (draft)

 (From the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Faculty)

Resources for Funding Care:

  • More affordable in-home back-up care: For summer 2021 and beyond, Harvard is again subsidizing the cost of in-home back-up care through Care @ Work. Faculty and staff are eligible for up to 20 days of back-up care. For in-home child care or adult care that is booked after July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, benefits-eligible faculty and staff will pay $6 or $12 per hour, according to their Harvard benefits salary bracket (reduced from the regular rate of $16 per hour). In-center back-up child care is also available for $35/child/day These copays will automatically appear within the Care.com portal once you have created an account and logged into the portal. Learn more about what Care @ Work offers and read about the registration process here.  Before using Care @ Work services, faculty and staff are also required to sign and submit a waiver.
  • Scholarship Programs: The annual application for the ACCESS Child Care Scholarship program and the University-wide Child Care Scholarship program will be open in PeopleSoft from July 14 through August 11, 2021 (see announcement flyers here and here). Scholarship funds renew each fiscal year and can be used to defray the costs of summer programs as well as regular year-round care.

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

  • For faculty with at least one child born on or after July 1, 2015 please go here for more information including the FAQ document detailing the rules and eligibility guidelines and program timeline.
  • For faculty with their youngest child between 6 and 12 years of age, please go here for more information on how to apply to the University-wide child care scholarships program (please see the FAQ document outlining the rules and eligibility guidelines).

DEADLINE

  • The application deadline is August 11, 2021. Online applications must be submitted (by 11:59pm) and supporting documents received by this date. Instructions for secure electronic document submission can be found in the application. Those awarded in previous years must still re-apply each year.

HOW TO APPLY

  • The application is hosted in PeopleSoft. If you are new to the program, it is best to review the materials highlighted in the website instructions listed above before beginning. To apply:
    • Answer the pre-application questions and then begin
    • Click on the “My Self-Service” > “My Benefits” tiles, click on the “Child Care Scholarship” tile, and select the “Child Care Scholarship App”
    • Log into PeopleSoft with your HarvardKey (via HARVie) and navigate to PeopleSoft

QUESTIONS?

  • Please contact Natalie Beaumont-Smith (childcare_scholarships@harvard.edu or 617-495-5933) in Harvard’s Office of Work/Life.
  • The Dependent Care Fund (DCF): The DCF provides funding of up to $1,000 per academic year to Harvard ladder faculty to help with caregiving costs during short-term professional travel.  More information on the DCF can be found here.

Resources and Services for Finding Care:

  • On-campus child care centers: Parents interested in enrollment at one of the six campus child care centers should be in touch with Campus Child Care directly at execdirector@campus-cc.org or with Sarah Bennett-Astesano in Harvard’s Office of Work/Life. Limited enrollment is available and note that two of the centers will be relocating within the campus child care system according to their renovation schedule.
  • Harvard’s Employee Assistance Program: Harvard’s EAP is a free and confidential service that helps identify summer camps that are in session this year, provides a child care resource and referral service to help families locate child care providers in their area, and offers a wide range of convenience and support services for families throughout the year.
  • Free, online “summer camp:” Camp Kinda provides free summer camp-inspired content for children ages 3 through 12 years. Delivered to parents’ email, Camp Kinda provides daily and weekly themed activity packages both on and offline for pre- and early readers through eighth grade. The content is designed to engage kids in at-home “adventures” and projects for a few hours, and even provides a dinner-time question that builds on the day’s theme. You can read more about Camp Kinda, download a flyer, and register for the camp. All Harvard affiliates are invited to register using code HVD33.
  • Nanny-placement agency: Families seeking a professional long-term nanny may want the support of a full-service agency. Boston Nanny Centre (BNC) offers nanny-placement services that range from comprehensive placement packages to a-la-carte services such as in-depth consultation, background checks, post-hire contract support, and more. BNC offers Harvard affiliates 10 percent off any service. You can read more about the services BNC offers to all Harvard affiliates here, and learn more about the agency by visiting their website.
  • Care.com digital platform: Free premium membership to the digital marketplace is available to faculty and staff who have pre-registered by signing and submitting a waiver for the Care@Work program. Families can post their own jobs and search for regular caregivers through their online portal.
  • The Student Employment Office (SEO): Local households seeking Harvard undergraduate students for virtual or in-person tutoring, babysitting, or other jobs may post opportunities to the SEO jobs database.
  • Harvard Student Agencies (HAS): HSA also offers a tutoring service in the Boston area or online from anywhere in the world by current Harvard students seeking to share their experiences, opportunities, and talents with younger students to foster their passion for learning.

Additional Resources and Services for Dependent Support:

  • Senior/adult care benefit review for faculty (Wednesday, October 6, 2021, 12-1 pm):  Harvard offers multiple resources to help faculty and staff plan for and support an elder or other dependent adult. Harvard’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides advice and recommendations on elder- or adult-care issue as well as referrals to resources nationwide.  In addition, the Senior Care Planning program, provided by Care@Work, helps faculty and staff navigate the ever-changing demands of caring for an aging family member or other dependent adults by connecting them with a professional senior care advisor, a licensed geriatric social worker expert in adult and elder care. The program also provides referrals and access to vetted services around the country. Join Chandi Deitmer, LICSW from Care@Work and Sarah Reynard, Research and Life Services Supervisor from the EAP on Wednesday, October 6, to learn more about these programs that help you navigate care for the adult dependents in your life.  The session includes a presentation (which will be recorded) followed by time for Q&A (which will not be recorded).  Faculty may register here for the session.
  • EdNavigator: For those with questions and concerns about their school-aged children’s education and learning, connect with a local education professional through EdNavigator who can help you understand your child’s learning needs and progress in school, particularly with disrupted schooling through the pandemic.

A complete overview of work/life services and resources, including the Senior Care Planning Program, the Mindfulness Program (which now includes a free subscription to the Ten Percent Happier app), and more can be found here.