Resources for Parents and Families

Plenty of families run into these:

• Your child has to stay home sick
• You are caught in-between childcare arrangements
• Your usual caregiver is  unavailable
• Your child’s care center is closed
• You need temporary care

Find help:

• Emergency Childcare Resources
  • Bright Horizons Care Advantage – Find care through the university.
  • BrightStar Care – In-home care with certified nurses.
  • Nanny Poppinz – Find the right care for you and your family.
• Backup Childcare
  • College Nannies + Sitters + Tutors – Find caretakers and educators near you.
  • Care.com - Find the right care for you and your family.
  • Urbansitter – Connect directly with sitters and nannies near you.

ECEC offers referrals to infant/toddler home-care programs, child care centers and preschool programs in the San Diego area. See other child care options.

In addition to referrals, we provide guidance on how to identify high-quality child care for infants and toddlers, as well as follow-up assessments to help parents evaluate their satisfaction with a childcare arrangement.

You can also visit these sites for more information about off-campus childcare in San Diego:

• California Childcare Resource and Referral Network – Gives parents referrals and information about the elements of quality care and state licensing requirements, as well as the availability of child care subsidies.
• Children's Home Society of California Child Care Referrals – Provides comprehensive programs to ensure that reliable and quality childcare is available for children from birth to 13 years of age who are in need of care during any part of a 24-hour day.
• San Diego Unified School District PrimeTime Extended Day Program – Provides elementary and middle school students with academic support and enrichment activities during the hours when many parents are at work.
• State of California Childcare Licensing Program – Provides information on licensing, laws and finding child care.
• YMCA Childcare Resource Service – Provides free childcare referral services, fee assistance for income eligible families, enhanced referrals for children with special needs and for military families, special needs respite care and much more. Funded through the California Department of Education.

Campus Resources

• Resources for Faculty and Staff Parents
• Academic Family Accommodations
• Resources for Student Parents
• Baby Benefits 101

Community Resources

• All About Young Children: Information for Families on Children’s Early Development
• First 5 San Diego
• California Women, Infants & Children Program
• Zero to Three – National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families
• National Association for the Education of Young Children
• American Academy of Pediatrics

Health Screening

ECEC offers all families annual vision, hearing and dental screenings. More information is available prior to the scheduled screening.

Immunization

• Shots for School: See a list of all immunizations needed before a child can enroll in a child care facility.
• Flu: Annual flu shots are recommended for everyone.
• County of San Diego Immunization Program: Immunization clinic schedule

Alternative Payment Plan

The San Diego County Centralized Eligibility List allows subsidized child development agencies to find children who are eligible for their programs. Get details.

Tuition Assistance/CCAMPIS

UC San Diego students may be eligible to receive tuition assistance for children enrolled at the Early Childhood Education Center through CCAMPIS, a U.S. Department of Education program.

UC San Diego NIH NRSA Childcare Allowance Guidance

• Discipline Policy (PDF)
• Early Childhood Education Center Family Handbook (PDF)

The quality of childcare depends on active parental involvement. Parents of children attending either center are encouraged to drop in and watch their children at play, join in classroom activities and share skills to enrich the curriculum whenever possible.

Family Association

The Family Association supports children’s education by working with teachers, offering support, creating community building activities and funding curriculum enrichment opportunities. All parents are invited to attend monthly meetings to help plan upcoming events and share ideas for new events and activities.