The University remains committed to supporting essential UW Medicine employees who need child care during the COVID-19 crisis. We understand that the announcement that children will be learning at home through the remainder of this school year will create additional challenges and changes for many employees who are parents.
We will continue to explore ways that UW’s resources and partnerships can support your family until schools and child care resume normal operations. Below is a round-up of current childcare resources for UW Medicine employees grouped by in-center and in-home options. Your best, one-stop child care connection continues to be the Child Care Aware COVID Referral Center (see below). The center can connect you with child care providers in the community as well as the UW-focused resources listed below.
We know that parents are concerned about their children’s health and safety and encourage you to review the Department of Health’s COVID-19 child care resources and recommendations to help find childcare, early learning providers and schools offering care to maintain health and safety standards and social distancing. Our UW programs adhere to these standards and we encourage you to talk with prospective child care providers about them, too.
Please contact childcare@uw.edu if you have any questions.
Current Child Care Resources
Center Based Care
- The Child Care Aware COVID Referral Center is a multi-lingual service that will connect UW Medicine families to vacant child care slots in the community, many of which are free for essential workers, and to resources available only to UW Medicine employees, including the Haring Center and backup care at UW Medical Center – Northwest.
- The call center is staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can leave an after-hours message to request care and can expect a return call on the next business day.
- Call 1.800.446.1114 and press “1” to request child care. Press “1” a second time to indicate you are a healthcare worker or first responder.
- Tell the referral consultant that you work for UW Medicine.
- To access free services, you will be asked to verify your employment (e.g., a copy of your employee ID card, business card or paystub) and possibly your address (e.g., a copy of a utility bill driver’s license or financial statement).
- The UW College of Education’s Haring Center is providing free child care to children of UW Medicine employees who are directly supporting COVID-19. Care will be provided for children ages three to six, between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Interested families should complete this online registration form. Enrollment priority will be given to UW Medicine employees who earn less than $75,000 per year and trainees in our GME programs. The Haring Center will follow-up within 48 hours to confirm enrollment and provide additional details about your child’s participation.
- Bright Horizons at Pioneer Square is offering free child care for essential workers (not only UW Medicine employees). The center is located at 101 6th Ave. S., Seattle, approximately one-half mile from Harborview Medical Center. Email the center directly to inquire about care.
- KinderCare and Bright Horizons can provide backup child care for UW Medicine employees at their local centers. All benefits-eligible employees can use Bright Horizons up to five times, and KinderCare up to 10 times, each calendar year.
- Backup placements at the Bright Horizons at Pioneer Square during the COVID-19 outbreak are being paid through a philanthropic partnership and will NOT count against employees’ annual uses.
In-Home Care
- The Whole U has coordinated discounts with the Nanny Parent Connection, Annie’s Nannies and On Call Nanny. Visit The Whole U Discounts site and search under “childcare services” for more details.
- Bright Horizons can provide backup child care in your home. All benefits-eligible employees can use Bright Horizons up to five times each calendar year.
- UW Human Resources has set up a network of UW community members available to provide in-home childcare. Complete the online child care interest form and you will receive an email with referrals to UW students or family and friends of UW employees willing to provide child care. You will contact the babysitter directly to discuss details (how many children you have, hours, location, pay, etc.) and, if you agree to hire the babysitter and would like to run a criminal history background check, UW Human Resources can facilitate that for you at no cost.
- The UW Medicine Care & Share website is an interactive platform that allows us to connect people offering and seeking support (child care, carpooling, pet care, etc.) Once a connection is made, the offerer and requester can communicate via phone or email, outside of the Care & Share site.
