Find Childcare

Making a plan for your childcare needs is the first step in making sure you are set up for success in your academic program. Your childcare plan should address when you are most likely to need care as well as what you’ll do on days that you don’t have childcare — like when your provider is closed, and UMass is open, or when your child is sick. We recommend working out a childcare plan that takes into consideration the following:

• What times/days will I need childcare during the academic year? Summer?
• How much childcare will I need to be able to attend classes AND have time for studying/research/writing?
• Are class hours or hours I’ll be teaching/conducting research/participating in study groups within typical childcare center hours?  If not, what other options do I have for childcare?
• Is the childcare provider’s calendar different from my UMass calendar? Will I have classes on days that the childcare provider is closed?
• What do I do if my child is sick and needs to stay home? How/when will I communicate with faculty if I need to miss a class or need extra time to submit an assignment when my child is sick?

Your childcare plan over the course of your degree may include a mix of licensed center- or home-based care, informal care, family/friends/neighbors care, summer programs, after/before school programs, and possibly recreational programs as well.

Licensed childcare offers some assurances of quality and safety for you and your child. In MA, state licensure (through the MA Department of Early Education and Care) means:

• Programs must be healthy, safe, and offer activities that help your child develop and grow;
• Providers have training in first aid and are CPR certified;
• Providers have specialized training in child development, and curriculum implementation;
• All employees are required to undergo a criminal background check;
• Programs must maintain appropriate ratios of teachers to children.

There are 3 types of MA licensed childcare choices to consider: Family or Home-Based childcare, Group or Center-based childcare, and School-Aged childcare. You can find out more information about the types of childcare and tips for what to look for in a childcare provider here.
 

Looking for on-campus licensed childcare?

Center for Early Education and Care (CEEC): The Center for Early Education and Care (CEEC) has provided quality childcare services to the University community for almost 40 years. CEEC offers full day and flexible schedule early education and care services for toddlers and preschool aged children (ages 15 months through five years) throughout the year. Subsidized care is available based on income eligibility. The center serves undergraduate and graduate student families, staff and faculty families, and families of the local community. For more information or to request an enrollment application call the CEEC office at 413-545-1566.
 

Looking for off-campus licensed childcare?

Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) Child Care Search: MA has an easy-to-use, free, searchable childcare database of over 1,500 state licensed programs in MA, including childcare centers, family childcare, and school-age programs. You can use their comprehensive database to filter results by age, location, facility type, pick-up and drop off times, and more criteria. You may need to experiment with the criteria you enter in order to broaden or narrow your search results into a helpful list.

We recommend using “radius” for your search, entering in the address that you want your care provider to be near, and then choosing the number of miles you would be willing to travel. Persistence really does pay off when you are looking for childcare. Be sure to get on a number of wait lists – and don’t be put off if you hear of a long waitlist. It can feel like a lot — but it will pay off eventually. Once you enter your search parameters, you have the option to click the button, “download your results," which will generate a spreadsheet with the providers who met your search criteria. Download your list and start making calls to see if there are openings and if not, to be placed on their waiting list.

Recommendation from student parent experiences: When calling childcare centers, be sure to follow-up weekly or bi-weekly to try to secure a spot for your child.

MOST CENTERS OFFER SOME KIND OF FINANCIAL AID and the earlier you apply, the more likely it is that you will receive it. Be sure to ask about financial aid when looking for childcare.

Community Action Pioneer Valley Head Start & Early Learning Programs are federally funded programs for income-eligible families with children aged 0-5. You can find out more about their center-based childcare options here. The centralized online application for their childcare programs can be found here. You can always call their friendly staff to learn more: 413-387-1250.

• Informal care is a child care option that can help fill in the gaps when your child care needs fall outside of traditional daycare or school hours or when only a small number of hours are needed each week.
• Some students have been able to collaborate with other student parents to “share” sitters or to trade off in providing care to each other’s kids. Building a network of other parenting students can help expand your options for care.
• Some students are able to rely on family members for childcare. See here for some great tips on how to make relative care work for you — it's not always as easy as it seems!
   

Looking for a Babysitter?

• UMass Student Job Board: Any family looking for local babysitting services may advertise with the UMass Student Employment Office for free. Families can also advertise at employment offices of other local colleges and high schools. Many libraries and YMCAs also offer babysitter training programs and they, too, can be contacted for assistance.
• Safety: Before leaving your child in the care of someone else, it is important to have a clear idea of your family’s care needs, as well as clear expectations for your care provider. There are many online sources that can provide you with sitter guidelines, such as this fact sheet prepared by the University of Michigan. Families desiring more thorough background checks on potential adult babysitters may choose to request that the sitter provide results of a criminal background check through the Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system.

Finding affordable summer childcare or programs/camps for your kids can be challenging! Below is some information to get you started. Most programs fill up quickly, and financial assistance is usually first-come, first-serve.

Visit our Summer Childcare Resource List for 2026 page for more information and to see a selection of summer care options to help you get started on your search.