Caring for Children
Local and National Resources
- Action for Children
- The American Academy of Pediatrics
- Center for Adoption Research
- The Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
- T.A.P.P. (The Art of Positive Parenting)
- National Fatherhood Initiative & National Fatherhood Clearing House & Resource Center (NFCRC)
- Ohio State University Department of Recreational Sports Age Group and Camps Program
- Ohio State Department of Human Development and Family Science Extension
- OSU Parental Care Guidebook
- OSU Child Care Center
- A. Sophie Rogers Laboratory for Child and Family Studies
- La Leche League International
- The American College of Nurse-Midwives
- The United States Department of Health and Human Services
- Family Doctor
- Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
As you face the joys and challenges of parental responsibilities, the university can provide support in a number of ways. The Parental Guidebook is a good starting-point to understand the wide array of benefits and programs available.
Adoption Assistance
The university can reimburse you and your family up to $4000 when you adopt a child to help cover adoption expenses. Visit the Adoption Life Event page or the Adoption Assistance page for more information.
Breastfeeding/Lactation Space
Ohio State is building a family friendly work environment on its quest to become an employer of choice. University leaders understand that work life initiatives are a fundamental strategy to improve faculty and staff satisfaction, commitment, performance and retention.
President’s Cabinet approved a proposal in March 2006 to include lactation rooms in all newly designed and constructed buildings on campus and supported the “zone approach” to increase the current number of lactation rooms. A zone approach involves identifying locations across campus where new lactation rooms will be created.
Increasing lactaion spaces around campus:
- Aligns with the work life philosophy to support faculty, staff, and students as they pursue greater integration of work and personal life.
- Supports the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendation that mothers nurse for 12 months to maximize the benefits of breastfeeding. As an employer with a world class medical center, it is important that we promote health practices in the best interest of the child and mother.
- Resolves issues created by current open space work environments that are not conducive to the privacy required for breastfeeding.
- Decreases absenteeism/presenteeism rates; working mothers with healthier babies as a result of breastfeeding will be more productive.
- Increases employee commitment to and engagement with the university;
Ohio State has and will continue to identify locations on campus that are ideal for a lactation room based on geographic location and/or future renovation projects. Currently there are 12 existing lactation spaces. Click here for a full list of lactation spaces around OSU’s main campus.
Child Care
The Ohio State Child Care Program provides quality child care that allows parents in the university community to participate in and fulfill their responsibilities to the university. The A. Sophie Rogers Laboratory for Child and Family Studies serves the university and Columbus community by offering an exemplary child care program to support research and learning about childhood development. Both have limited space, so apply as soon as possible to take advantage of these programs.
Summer Camps and Fun Activities for Kids
- Columbus Parent Magazine
- Columbus Zoo
- Columbus Pre-School and Gym
- Columbus Salesians Boys and Girls Club
- Central Ohio YMCA Summer Camp (day and overnight camps)
- Special Needs Camp
- Columbus Metro Parks (Nature camps)
- RPAC
- WikiChild
- Jewish Community Center
- Department of Recreation and Parks
- The Ohio State University Child Care Program
- YWCA
- Ohio State Recreational Sport Age Group and Camps Program
- Ohio State Recreational Sport Football Saturdays
- Wellington School
- COSI
- OSU Outreach and Engagement
- OSU School of Music
- Outdoor Safety Guide and Tips
Working Mothers Support Network
Ohio State's Working Mothers Support Network provides a bi-quarterly brown-bag lunch venue for Ohio State women (students, staff & faculty) to discuss and find support for issues related to work/life balance and work/life integration. Together, the group forms a university-wide bond and support network for women across campus who are actively contributing to the success of the university who have the common challenge of managing multiple priorities both at work and in their personal lives.
Dependent Care Task Force
Child care and elder care continue to be important issues in retaining faculty and staff at Ohio State. The president and provost established a task force to examine how to increase dependent care options available to the university community. The task force began meeting in 2006 and will continue its progress in the following academic year.
Teenagers
School’s back in session. This guide can help keep teens safe from risky behavior. For parents of teens, this can be a challenging time. It is very important to be able to recognize the early warning signs of trouble. Click here to get your Teen and At-Risk Behavior Guide
Resources for Coping with Tragedy
The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) has created a special area on their website to provide resources for helping children and families, caregivers, and school personnel cope with this tragedy as well as resources for recognizing the early warning signs that may lead to youth violence. For this website and additional links regarding a variety of tragedy responses please click here.
Promoting Your Child’s Development
Employees with young children are often overwhelmed by the challenges of parenting during the early phase of their child's development. But encouraging healthy development simply takes knowing how to be actively involved in the learning process -- Just click on this link to download your complimentary copy.
