Life & Work Connections Offers 'Child Care 101'

By Rebecca Ruiz-McGill, University Communications | March 14, 2012

A March 27 lunchtime seminar will focus on the needs of and resources for UA parents of preschool children.

UA Life & Work Connections resources, such as those addressing child care needs, are available for UA employees and students including those working in Phoenix.(Photo by Patrick McArdle/UANews)

UA Life & Work Connections offers free work/life support including child care, elder care and other employee wellness resources.

Welcoming a new baby into the home or deciding on a maze of child-care resources can be a daunting task for any family.

The free resources at the University of Arizona Life & Work Connections can help make these decisions easier with one-on-one consultations or lunchtime learning sessions that identify UA and community resources that address a variety of child-care needs.

In an effort to inform new parents about the resources available through Life & Work Connections, the program offered two free lunchtime seminars in March. The first seminar focused on new parent resources with tips on infant lactation, child-care resources, nutritional guidelines and changing family relationships.

The second seminar, to be held March 27, will focus on the needs of parents of preschool children and will address infant care and how it differs from pre-kindergarten. It will also focus on early care and educational experiences for children ages 3 to 5 and easy and healthy ways to offer nutritious foods for children.

The seminar – the final in the series – will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Tubac Room of the Student Union Memorial Center. No reservations are required.

Though the lunchtime sessions take place on the main UA campus, resources are available for UA families working in Phoenix and Sierra Vista as well, through one-on-one consultations.

The Sick Child Emergency/Back-Up Care Program is now open to UA working families in Phoenix.

"For parents, it's not a matter of if their child will get sick – it's a matter of when, and for the many new-to-Tucson or Phoenix UA families, finding resources can be overwhelming," said Caryn Jung, senior coordinator with work/life programs at UA Life & Work Connections.

The program helps out when there is an unscheduled interruption in regular school and/or child care arrangements. The program provides temporary caregiver service for children (ages birth to 12 years) of benefits-eligible employees and enrolled students in Tucson and Phoenix at a significantly subsidized cost.

Jung said the lunchtime seminars are open to spouses and partners of UA employees.

"The sessions are set up to be informal, fun interactions held in a relaxed atmosphere," she said.

Key services or information offered by Life & Work Connections for UA parents include: