Do you know that you have a variety of resources to help you find child care? Here is an overview of the JHU family care benefits available to help you locate the care you need.
In addition, be sure to sign up for an upcoming webinar about finding child care. Presented by the Office of Benefits & Worklife, the webinar will include an overview of the resources and benefits below, with time for questions. It will be held from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1. Register here.
Finding licensed care in Maryland
Any JHU affiliate can receive individualized help finding child care through the Locate: Child Care service offered by the Maryland Family Network. After speaking to a child care specialist, you will receive referrals to registered family child care providers and licensed group programs, as well as follow-up assistance until placement is found. Locate also provides materials on specialized child care options and services, federal income tax credits for families, and Maryland state financial assistance programs.
Complete and submit the Locate: Child Care registration form, and Locate Corporate Enhanced Referral Service will contact you as soon as possible. You also may contact Locate at 800-999-0120 or LOCATEcorporate@marylandfamilynetwork.org.
Finding a caregiver to come into your home
Full-time, benefits-eligible Johns Hopkins faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students have access to a host of care benefits through Care@Work, including a free premium membership that provides unlimited access to the country's largest network of caregivers. You can explore detailed caregiver profiles in your area; post a job based on your needs; and access the Care.com safety center, background check options, and other resources.
Expert Assistance from Care@Work is a concierge service offering one-on-one help with a care specialist who will conduct a needs assessment with you, post a job on your behalf, review results and applicants, and present you with the best options for your caregiving needs. Expert Assistance can be used to find nannies and babysitters—and also tutors, pet sitters, housekeepers, personal assistants, special needs caregivers, errand runners, and more. Your family will ultimately choose whom to hire, but this service removes the burden of finding the right candidates, giving you the gift of time. To connect with a care specialist and learn more about Expert Assistance, register online, then email expertassistance@care.com or call 855-781-1303, ext. 4, to request Expert Assistance.
To begin using your Care@Work benefits, register at johnshopkinscare.com using your JHED ID (without @jh.edu).
Nannies and au pairs
The Nanny Network provides screened, vetted, and committed caregivers to families in the Baltimore, Washington, and Northern Virginia areas. Specialists work with families having full- or part-time, permanent or temporary, needs. JHU affiliates get a 20% discount on the retainer fee for a permanent nanny search or on the temporary membership fee.
Au Pair in America and Cultural Care Au Pair also offer discounts to Johns Hopkins employees. Read more under Other In-Home Care on the Finding Child Care page of the Benefits & Worklife website.
Cooperative care swap with other families
Komae is a child care app that helps families identify others with whom to trade care at no cost. Komae fills in the gap for families seeking flexible child care on their own, and enables users to identify families with similar parenting styles and COVID-19 hygiene practices to share child care and supervision of remote learning.
To use this free tool, download the Komae app on your mobile device; from there, you can join the Hopkins group and begin connecting with other Hopkins families looking to share care. Once registered, you will get an initial balance of points to receive care from others in your community. Additional information can be found on the Komae website.
When your regular care breaks down
Backup Care by Care@Work is a great resource to use when your regular care is not available, especially during interruptions caused by COVID-19. Backup Care days renewed on Jan. 1 for full-time, benefits-eligible faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students, who can use up to 10 days per calendar year. Backup Care is subsidized, meaning you pay a reduced rate for the care you receive based on your salary. You can request in-home or in-center backup care for children. In-home backup care is also available for adults if you have a parent or spouse/partner in need of support.
Register at johnshopkinscare.com using your JHED ID (without @jh.edu). Backup Care is not just for last-minute requests; you can schedule your needs up to 30 days in advance.
Finding licensed care outside of Maryland
A mySupport representative can help JHU affiliates and their household members find licensed child care for their needs outside of Maryland. Call mySupport at 443-997-7000 to request help. And remember, the mySupport program also can help with emotional support and elder care resource location.
Discounts at select child care services
Be sure to also check out the university's LifeMart employee discount program. LifeMart offers discounts on select child care and elder care services, as well as on other family-friendly services and activities.
Visit the Family and Caregiving Programs' Finding Child Care webpage to read more about the benefits and resources available to you.
Contact the Johns Hopkins Office of Benefits & Worklife at 410-516-2000 or benefits@jhu.edu with any questions.
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