Division of Amenities & Transportaion Services

Contact Information

Tonya Lee
Program Manager
Telephone: (301) 402-8180

Mary Ellen Savarese
Branch Chief
Telephone: (301) 402-8180

ORS breadcrumbDATS > Child Care

Child Care

NIH Back-up Care Program

 The National Institutes of Health has contracted with Bright Horizons to offer NIH employees access to back-up care when they need to be at work and their regular child or adult/elder care is unavailable.

NIH Child Care Subsidy Program

Federal Employees of the NIH may be eligible to receive a child care tuition subsidy if their children are enrolled in licensed child care programs and their total adjusted household income is $70,000 or less per year.

Resource and Referral Services

NIH Child Care Resource and Referral Services
The NIH has contracted with LifeWork Strategies, Inc. to provide referrals to many types of alternative child care services and resources. This highly personalized professional service is available at no cost to all NIH Employees, Trainees and Contractors by calling 1-800-777-1720 between the hours of 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

NIH Dependent Care Resource and Referral Services
NIH Employees, Trainees and Contractors have free, unlimited access to a Work/life Specialist, who can help you to assess your caregiving role and support you by providing a range or resources and referrals.

Other Federal Child Care Centers
Many other Federal Agencies in the Washington Metropolitan area sponsor on-site child care centers. These centers give priority to all Federal employees

NIH Sponsored Child Care Centers

Infant & Toddler Child Care Center
East Child Care Center
Executive Child Development Center
NIEHS Child Care Center (North Carolina)

Wait List Registration
The NIH has contracted with LifeWork Strategies, Inc. to oversee and administer a consolidated Waiting List for the three NIH-sponsored child care centers located in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Inclement Weather - Opening and Closure Procedures for NIH Child Care Centers 
NIH Child Care Centers' hours of operation will be modified to ensure that the centers are operating as normally as possible during disruptions of the Federal Government's operations.

Emergency Guide For Parents: NIH Child Care Centers Operation 
In an Emergency situation at the NIH, emergency response personnel will make the determination to relocate, evacuate or "shelter in place" the children and staff of the three NIH Child Care Centers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Frequently asked questions about the NIH-sponsored Child Care Centers, the Wait List Registration, the Enrollment Process, the Child Care Subsidy Program and the NEW Back-up Care Program.

NIH Child Care Board

The NIH Child Care Board advises the NIH Director with regard to child care issues and policies, advocates for high quality, affordable, and accessible child care services for the NIH community

Parenting Resources

Parenting Resource Packet coverNIH Parent Resource Packet 
An easy to use guide for parents and parents-to-be on the many programs and services available to the NIH community.
 

NIH Parenting LISTSERV
An interactive e-mail list for NIH families to discuss child care and parenting issues.

Lunch and Learn: Parenting/Dependent Care Seminars
Parenting/Dependent Care Seminars are webcast live and are archived for future viewing.  The Seminars cover parenting issues from infancy to the teenager years and dependent care issues from the emotional impact of caring for an adult dependent to legal issues.

International Women's Group
IWG welcomes women (and their family) who come from abroad or from other parts of the US as they settle in their new home (the Washington, DC Metropolitan area).

Links for Parents
Helpful NIH and other parenting resources links about safety, health, learning and fun for families with all age children.

NIH Child Care Surveys and Studies

2008 NIH Child Care Needs Assessment & Benchmark Study
2005 NIH Child Care Survey
2001 NIH Child Care Survey
NICHD National Study

DATS Responsibilities

As part of an ongoing commitment to providing a quality work environment and tools for recruiting and retaining the best and brightest employees to the NIH, the NIH Child Care Coordination Team serves as the focal point on all child care services and programs. The Team provides general and technical advice, along with administration, policy-making and management of the NIH Child Care Programs.

In addition, the Coordination Team functions as the liaison between the NIH child care service providers and users, and serves as a resource for parents, other NIH employees and the provider's staff on general child care issues and community resources. The Coordination Team monitors and ensures compliance of Use Agreements and commits to quality assurance within each NIH Child Care Program and facility.

The NIH Child Care Coordination Team is located in the Division of Amenities and Transportation Services (DATS). If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Child Care Programs serving NIH employees, issues related to the NIH child care facilities, contractual responsibilities, general child care issues, or assistance in what to do about your own child care needs, feel free to contact the NIH Child Care Program Team at (301) 402-8180.