HR Resources and Checklists
As an HR professional, helping new employees navigate available child care benefits can significantly enhance their work-life balance, improve retention, and boost overall employee satisfaction. Including child care-related resources in your new hire packet is a proactive step in demonstrating your commitment to supporting employees with young children. On this page, you'll find various tools, checklists, and resources to help you integrate child care information into your onboarding materials.
Download Key Resources
Brochures and Informational Flyers:
Include a brochure about quality child care or questions to ask during an orientation session. These materials can be added to new hire packets, employee handbooks, or onboarding presentations.
Infographics:
Post informative infographics from Childcare.gov in common areas like near the copy machine, coffee machine, or lunchroom. Infographics about choosing child care (e.g., Look, Ask, Listen for both child care centers and family child care homes) can help employees navigate the child care landscape.
Child Care Assistance Program Flyer:
Share the Office of Children and Family Services’ flyer on the Child Care Assistance Program for low-wage earning families. Make this flyer available in employee break rooms and include it in onboarding packets.
- Here are some excellent documents you can consider using:
- Look, Listen & Ask – Choosing a Child Care Center
- Look, Listen & Ask – Choosing a Family Child Care Home
- Child Care Assistance Program flyer for low wage earning families
- Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood-PLUS
- Find your local Child Care Resource Center and make the contact information available to parents
Provide Child Care Checklists
Child Care Center Checklist: Offer the Child Care Center Checklist by Child Care Aware of America. This checklist can guide employees in evaluating child care centers to ensure they select the best option for their family.
Family Child Care Home Checklist: Similarly, provide the Family Child Care Home Checklist. This checklist helps parents assess home-based child care options and ensure they meet their needs.
Create a Child Care Resource Hub
Set up an easily accessible section on your company intranet or HR portal dedicated to child care resources, if you have one. Include links to child care programs, subsidies, local child care centers, provider networks, and Child Care Resource Center. Offer a summary of available child care benefits, including flexible work arrangements, back-up care options, and financial assistance programs.
Consider offering a child care subsidy or benefit program for employees, or partner with local child care providers to secure discounted rates. Explore some options here, if you haven’t already.
Promote Child Care Benefits During Onboarding Share child care resources a regular part of new employee orientation. During these sessions, HR professionals can walk employees through available benefits and provide answers to any questions regarding child care. Share information about your company’s child care assistance programs (if any), flexible work options, and local child care referrals. This ensures employees understand their options right from the start. Make sure to highlight other work-life balance programs your company offers in your new hire packet. Mention flexible work schedules, telecommuting options, back-up child care benefits, and parental leave policies. Promote these benefits to show a holistic approach to supporting employees with young families.
Partner with Local Child Care Providers Explore options to establish partnerships with local child care providers. By securing spots or discounts for your employees, you can add tremendous value to your benefits package. Provide contact information and referral services for local providers, including those who offer flexible hours, infant and toddler care, or special programs. If you haven’t already explored our comprehensive lists of child care providers in New York State or reached out to your local Child Care Resource Center, we recommend you do so!
Solicit Employee Feedback Regularly solicit feedback from employees about the child care resources provided. Use surveys or focus groups to determine if employees find the materials helpful, and ask if there are additional resources they need or suggestions to improve the support offered. We have a free sample employee survey for you to use to begin the employee feedback process.
Promote Child Care Benefits During Onboarding Share child care resources a regular part of new employee orientation. During these sessions, HR professionals can walk employees through available benefits and provide answers to any questions regarding child care. Share information about your company’s child care assistance programs (if any), flexible work options, and local child care referrals. This ensures employees understand their options right from the start. Make sure to highlight other work-life balance programs your company offers in your new hire packet. Mention flexible work schedules, telecommuting options, back-up child care benefits, and parental leave policies. Promote these benefits to show a holistic approach to supporting employees with young families.
Partner with Local Child Care Providers Explore options to establish partnerships with local child care providers. By securing spots or discounts for your employees, you can add tremendous value to your benefits package. Provide contact information and referral services for local providers, including those who offer flexible hours, infant and toddler care, or special programs. If you haven’t already explored our comprehensive lists of child care providers in New York State or reached out to your local Child Care Resource Center, we recommend you do so!
Solicit Employee Feedback Regularly solicit feedback from employees about the child care resources provided. Use surveys or focus groups to determine if employees find the materials helpful, and ask if there are additional resources they need or suggestions to improve the support offered. We have a free sample employee survey for you to use to begin the employee feedback process.