Office of the Secretary of the Faculty - Arts, Sciences, and Engineering

Dependent Care

Tufts-affiliated Programs

Visit the Finding Childcare page on AccessTufts, to learn about options for Tufts-contracted or Tufts-affiliated Infant/Toddler/Preschooler Childcare

Visit the Summer Programs for School-Age Children page on AccessTufts, to learn about summer program that are affiliated with the university

Visit the Faculty Equity, Inclusion, and Productivity Program page (A&S only) for information about caregiver funds specifically related to research projects. 

Backup Dependent Care and Caregiver Network Access

Tufts University contracts with Care.com to provide to all benefits-eligible employees. The service can be used for for a child, partner/spouse, parent, or any other adult for whom you care when regular care falls through for any reason. You can also use it to get care for yourself. See Care for Children, Adults, and Pets on AccessTufts for details.

Childcare Resources and Referrals

Tufts Resources

Tufts EAP Childcare Assisted Search

Under HR's Employee Assistance Program, benefits-eligible employees can identify available childcare providers for infants (0-15 months), toddlers (15 months – 2 years, 9 months), preschoolers, and school-age children.

Use the Childcare Assisted Search to:

  • generate a list of different types of providers in a specified town
  • generate a list of providers within a search radius of a specific address
  • review childcare regulations, checklists for evaluating childcare providers, and advice about communicating with childcare providers.

Non-Tufts Resources

Finding Student Caregivers

Many faculty and staff have had success finding babysitters, part-time nannies, and help with after-school or before-school care from within the Tufts student community. Resources include:

  • JobX, the Tufts Student Employment website
  • Placing a classified ad in The Tufts Daily
  • Contact these Tufts departments to advertise dependent care jobs to their students:

Flexible Spending Accounts – Childcare

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) allow benefits-eligible Tufts employees to set aside pre-tax income for two purposes: health care or dependent care. Thus, a Health Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account can result in considerable savings for employees with high health care, childcare, or elder/adult care costs.

For more information about qualifying expenses and qualifying dependents, visit Tufts' FSA vendor, EBPA.

Employees may enroll in FSAs either at date of hire, during annual Benefits Open Enrollment time, or as a result of a change of status such as adding or removing a dependent.

Note: Changes must be consistent with the qualifying life event.

Call Tufts Support Services for more information at 617-627-7000.

Lactation Rooms and Resources

Federal law stipulates that Tufts employees who need to express breastmilk during the workday are entitled to breaks and a private space (not a bathroom) to do so for up to a year after the birth of a child. Visit the Lactation Rooms and Resources page on AccessTufts.

For additional information, visit:

Employees who do not have a private office may find lactation space in one of two ways: dedicated lactation rooms and ad hoc lactation rooms.

Dedicated Lactation Rooms

To reserve a room, please email reservations2@ase.tufts.edu and request access to book lactation spaces through the (Tufts Space and Resources Reservation System). This will list all the spaces available to you on the Boston and Medford campuses, and you will be able to request the time and space convenient for you. For the Grafton campus, Room 1802A is available 24/7 in the Large Animal Hospital for lactation use, and no request is necessary.

On the Medford Campus, there are five lactation rooms open to all members of the Tufts community. The room coordinators below can answer questions about the rooms for you, but all scheduling should be done through the space reservation system.

  • Ballou Hall, first floor. For info contact: Lisa Bloom, Office Assistant in the Provost's Office (617-627-4815, lisa.bloom@tufts.edu)
  • The Fletcher School, Cabot Hall, Room 207. For info contact: Hall of Flags main reception desk (617-627-3329)
  • Joyce Cummings Center, 3rd and 5th floor (located between the men's and women's restrooms)
  • Halligan Hall, Room 219. For info contact: Electrical and Computer Engineering administration office (617-627-3217, ece@tufts.edu) or Computer Science administration office (617-627-2225, csadmin@cs.tufts.edu)
  • CLIC building, 574 Boston Ave., Room 125. For info contact: Bruce Panilaitis, SEC Director, (617-627-3550, bruce.panilaitis@tufts.edu)
  • Tisch Library, Room 104. For info contact: Tisch Administration Office (617-627-3345, tischadmin@tufts.edu)
  • 200 Boston Ave. For info contact: Human Resources front desk (617-627-6272)
  • SEC, Room LL007. For info contact: Bruce Panilaitis, SEC Director, (617-627-3550, bruce.panilaitis@tufts.edu)

On the Boston Campus, there are two locations:

  • Dental School, 1 Kneeland St., DHS 418. Request card access through the online Facilities Services Service Request System. Most requests will be processed within 1-2 business days.
  • Biomedical Research and Public Health Building (BRPH), 136 Harrison Avenue, Room M423. For info contact Verna Manni (617-626-6663, verna.manni@tufts.edu). This room can accommodate two people at a time and has two hospital-grade pumps; users bring their own accessories.

On the Grafton Campus, Room 1802A is available 24/7 in the Large Animal Hospital for lactation use, and no request is necessary. If you encounter any problems with the space, please contact Lucia Hackett, the HR Business Partner for the Cummings School: lucia.hackett@tufts.edu, 617-628-7975.

Ad Hoc Lactation Rooms

If the dedicated spaces do not meet your needs—for example, if they are more than a five-minute walk from your workplace—the Office of Equal Opportunity will help facilitate your use of an ad hoc lactation space. Contact Amin Fahimi Moghadam, OEO Accommodations Specialist, at 617-627-6363 or Amin.Fahimi_Moghadam@tufts.edu. 

Adoption

Information and resources about adoption under Parenting-Adoption. In the same section of the EAP, there is also an assisted search for adoption agencies and adoption assistance services in which users can specify the types of services they seek, and in return receive a list of matches.

Adult Care

Elder and Adult Backup Care

Backup care for both children and adults is available to all benefits-eligible employees for up to 20 days, through Tufts’ contract with Care.com.

Benefits include:

  • Backup care for a child, partner/spouse, parent, or any other adult whose care you are responsible for when regular care falls through.
  • Care away from Boston, e.g., if your parents live across the country and need assistance.
  • Care for yourself.

Adult care can require advance notice because arrangements are made in collaboration with home health agencies. Users are encouraged to register with Care.com in advance. Visit Tufts Human Resources for details.

Employee Assistance Program – Elder and Adult Care Resources

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available through Tufts Human Resources. The program offers extensive information and resources about aging and elder care. Visit the HR/EAP information page for more information and to sign in to EAP.

Flexible Spending Accounts – Adult Care

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) allows benefits-eligible Tufts employees to set aside pre-tax income for two purposes: health care or dependent care.

A Health Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account can result in considerable savings for employees with high health care, childcare, or elder/adult care costs.

For information about qualifying expenses and qualifying dependents, visit Tufts' FSA Vendor, EBPA.

Employees may enroll in FSAs either at date of hire, during Benefits Open Enrollment time, or as a result of a change of status such as adding or removing a dependent. (Note: Changes must be consistent with the qualifying life event).

Call Tufts Support Services for more information at 617-627-7000.

Finding Student Caregivers

Faculty and staff have had success finding caregivers for adults from within the Tufts student community. Resources include:

  • Handshake: The Tufts Student Employment website
  • Contact these Tufts departments to advertise dependent care jobs to their students: