Finding Childcare
Childcare is critical to working parents and finding the right fit for your family means considering numerous factors. You are encouraged to review the options below to learn what may best meet your needs.
Allston and Cambridge
Seven childcare centers operate on Harvard’s Cambridge and Allston campuses. Each center has its own characteristics and culture, so families are encouraged to learn more using the information below.
Feel free to contact any center directly, email the Executive Director of Campus Childcare, or email the Office of Work/Life. You can also learn more from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.
On-campus childcare centers:
- Campus Child Care, Inc. is the independent, nonprofit operator of the childcare centers on Harvard's campuses. To learn more, please visit the CCC, Inc. website, where you can learn about each of the centers.
- Application and enrollment information: For information on the application and enrollment processes and the role of the Harvard affiliation, please read Work/Life's FAQs. Read CCC's FAQs for additional information on application and enrollment and detailed information on center policies.
- Application fees: Find answers to questions specifically about application fees in the "how enrollment happens" section of CCC's website.
- Online application: You can apply to all seven centers from Campus Child Care's website. Click on the "Apply for Care" tab.
- Individual center information: Find contact information, rates, age groups, schedules, and hours. Learn about individual centers, childcare center policies, and life in the centers.
- Visiting centers: If you would like to know more about an individual center, contact the directors.
- Western Avenue Children’s Center (WACC) has opened at 114 Western Avenue. Starting small, it will grow to its full size over time. As part of Harvard’s cooperation agreement with the City of Boston, a limited number of spots in this new center will be initially reserved for residents of Allston zip codes 02134 and 02135. In addition, families who reside in these zip codes ― and who are not eligible for any other Harvard childcare scholarship ― may apply for a means-tested childcare subsidy. For more information, please email the Harvard Office of Work/Life.
Harvard Longwood Campus
Affiliates of Harvard Medical School, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and others on the Harvard Longwood Campus may have access to the Longwood Collective-managed Longwood Medical Area Childcare Center (LMACCC).
High-quality, affordable childcare is in high demand in the greater Boston area. The following resources are designed to make your search a little easier. We encourage you to review these and other available resources and to carefully consider the safety and appropriateness of any childcare provider or setting.
- If you are a benefits-eligible Harvard employee, you may use free dependent-care resource and referral services through Harvard’s Employee Assistance Program.
- You can get a list of licensed family day care providers and group childcare centers in your community by visiting the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.
- If you live in Cambridge, visit the Cambridge Office of Early Childhood for a summary of city resources for childcare and other early-childhood supports.
- Several nonprofit agencies are members of the Massachusetts Childcare Resource and Referral Network and can help you find childcare:
- Childcare Choices of Boston serves Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Somerville, Revere, and Winthrop.
- Childcare Circuit serves several towns near Harvard’s campuses including Arlington, Belmont, Medford, Newton, and Watertown, as well as many others.
- Community Care for Kids serves Braintree, Cohasset, Dedham, Hull, Milton, Needham, Quincy, Randolph, Wellesley, Weston, and Weymouth.
Babysitters
Boston Nanny Centre (BNC) provides a babysitter subscription service, in addition to their other nanny-placement services. BNC offers Harvard affiliates 10% off any service.
Boston Nanny Centre (BNC) provides nanny-placement services to Harvard University affiliate families and offers 10% off any service. BNC nanny-placement services range from comprehensive placement packages to a-la-carte services such as in-depth consultation, thorough background checks, post-hire contract support, and other services. You can learn more about BNC and their services and review their description of services.
However you choose a caregiver, nanny, or babysitter, you may have payroll and tax responsibilities.
- Boston Nanny Centre (BNC) will refer its clients to firms that can assist with these processes.
There are several state and local resources that can help you identify other group childcare options. Please visit Finding Childcare to learn more.
Between 1964 and 1976, six non-profit childcare centers were founded on Harvard’s campuses, by and for Harvard’s students, faculty and staff. Hosted in Harvard space and tailored to their individual communities’ needs, they were governed by parent-run boards of directors and operated independently from one another and the university. In 2017, they unified as a single new nonprofit organization, Campus Child Care, Inc, (CCC) with a view to streamlining their administrative functions, strengthening collaboration across centers, and improving long-term governance. Since then, CCC has opened a seventh center. CCC has an operating agreement with Harvard for the services it provides.
In addition, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health participate in a childcare center consortium managed by Longwood Collective. This gives affiliates of these schools access to a limited number of slots at the Longwood Medical Area Child Care Center.