• Adoption: Exploring Your Options [pdf] — As you begin to consider whether your family is ready to engage the adoption process, refer to this guide to help you assess and prepare.
• Guide for New and Expecting Parents [pdf] — This guide outlines some of the primary considerations related to welcoming a child, with special attention to the CMU programs, services and benefits that can help.
• Guide to Time Off Options for New Parents [pdf] — Faculty and staff members have various leave options to take time away from work to care for children or family members.
• Faculty Parental Leaves of Absence — Eligible faculty members are entitled to paid parental leave when adding a child to their family.
• Staff Parental and Maternity Leave Program — The university provides paid leave for eligible staff members adding a child to their family.
• Student Maternity Accommodation Protocol and Loans — The university offers two leave options for students who give birth during the course of the semester, and financial assistance is also available through an interest-free loan and stipend continuation. 
• Lactation Support Program — There are several lactation rooms on and off campus for breastfeeding individuals to express milk. These spaces are open to students, staff, faculty and guests. Users may need to request access to the space and are responsible for following the guidelines for lactation room use. The university also provides lactation-related support resources, including how to obtain a pump, how to address concerns, and where to go for additional support and guidance.

• Children's School (CMU) — Run by CMU's Department of Psychology, the Children's School offers developmentally appropriate preschool and kindergarten classes, as well as a laboratory for research in child development. Space is limited, so early inquiry is encouraged. Visit the Children's School Admissions page for an application to join the waitlist.
• Cyert Center for Early Education (CMU) — The Cyert Center is full-day child care and education program for children ages 12 weeks through kindergarten available to CMU faculty, staff and graduate students. Full-time benefits-eligible employees may be eligible for a Sliding Scale benefit that reduces the cost of tuition. Visit the Cyert Center website for enrollment information.
• Choosing Child Care:
  • Child Care Options to Consider [pdf]
  • Child Care in Pittsburgh: What to Expect [pdf]
  • Pennsylvania COMPASS Child Care and Other Early Learning Programs Search
  • Pittsburgh Parent Child Care and Preschool Directory
  • Allegheny County Child Care Finder
  • Choosing High-Quality Child Care [pdf]
• Financial Assistance:
  • GSA Child Care Grant — available to full time graduate students 
  • The CMU Pantry — provides students with food resources in addition to stocking such items as diapers and formula
  • Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
  • Cyert Center for Early Childhood Education Sliding Scale Benefit
  • Affording Quality Child Care [pdf]
• Concierge Service — Provides CMU faculty, staff and graduate students with information, support, guidance and education on all dependent- and care-related topics. For assistance, contact hrfamilycare@andrew.cmu.edu with the details of your request.
• CareLink — A network exclusive to members of the CMU community, you can use CareLink to both offer services and request help. Access CareLink to find assistance with child care, tutoring, pet care and household help.
• Care@Work — Through the Care@Work program, Care.com prescreens qualified caregivers to help eligible individuals find backup emergency care for children and adults. The program also includes a free membership to perform self-directed searches for a variety of caregiving needs.
• Forming Care Shares & Learning Pods [pdf] — Use services provided by the university to create a learning pod or shared child care arrangement. 
• Au Pair in America — Provides intercultural child care for your family. Au pairs offer child care that is flexible and dependable, full-service, and an enriching experience for the entire family. Au Pair in America offers a 5% program discount plus no application fee for all CMU faculty and staff; use discount code 402.
• The Get Well Room at The Children's Center of Pittsburgh — The Get Well Room provides child care to children (6 months to 12 years old) who are mildly ill. Children can be pre-registered. The service is available 7 a.m.–5 p.m. daily. Families requiring the service can call the day before or morning of service and inquire about space availability.

• Tutoring Resources for Families [pdf]
• School Choice — When considering school enrollment, you may encounter the following school choice options:
  • Your neighborhood school is the school assigned to you by your school district based on your address.
  • Magnet schools are public schools that often have a specialized focus, such as STEM, the arts or a foreign language. You need to apply to these programs even if the school happens to be in your neighborhood. 
  • Charter schools are free, public schools that function independently of the local school district. Many charter schools determine admissions through a lottery.
  • Private schools are not part of the public school system and typically charge tuition. Students need to apply and be accepted into these programs.
• Navigating Elementary School Options: Finding a Program That Works for Your Family [pdf] — This guide provides detailed information on school options in the Pittsburgh area, including factors to consider when comparing schools, regional school listings, and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program.
• Concierge Service — Provides CMU faculty, staff and graduate students with information, support, guidance and education on all dependent- and care-related topics. For assistance, contact hrfamilycare@andrew.cmu.edu with the details of your request.
• CareLink — A network exclusive to members of the CMU community, you can use CareLink to both offer services and request help. Access CareLink to find assistance with child care, tutoring, pet care and household help.

  • The Office of Human Resources has partnered with CareLink on a virtual tutoring initiative. Members of the CMU community — primarily students, but also faculty and staff — offer tutoring services. To view these virtual tutoring profiles, log in to CareLink and click “Find Help” at that top right. From there, click “Search Profiles” to view current CMU community members offering tutoring services. You can also post a specific job by clicking on the “Post a Job” link within the “Find Help” tab. 

  • CareLink Technical Resources [pdf] provides information about how to use the system, including posting jobs and posting profiles. If you have any additional questions or concerns, contact hrfamilycare@andrew.cmu.edu.

• Care@Work — Through the Care@Work program, Care.com prescreens qualified caregivers to help eligible individuals find backup emergency care for children and adults. The program also includes a free membership to perform self-directed searches for a variety of caregiving needs, as well as access to the LifeCare Family program, which offers 24/7 access to care specialists who provide personalized assistance with your parenting, child care and elder care related needs. LifeCare Family's care specialists can assist the search process and narrow down the field of caregivers to best meet your family's needs.  
• Forming Care Shares & Learning Pods [pdf] — Use services provided by the university to create a learning pod or shared child care arrangement. 
• Pre-College Programs — Rising high school juniors and seniors can apply for CMU's Pre-College programs, which aim to mirror the undergraduate experience at CMU.
• Summer Camps [pdf] — This guide provides an overview of topics related to summer camps for children.

• Tuition Benefits — Benefits-eligible faculty and staff members can receive tuition remission or assistance for themselves and their dependent children. Courses may be taken at CMU or at another institution.
• 529 Plans — A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged account that can be used to pay for qualified education costs, including college, K-12, and apprenticeship programs.

View listings of virtual and in-person activities, enrichment and classes by age group:

• Preschool and Elementary [pdf]
• Middle School [pdf]
• High School [pdf]

• Preventive Health Care for CMU Benefit Plan Participants — Faculty and staff members who have university-offered health plans qualify for certain preventive care benefits, which may include vaccines, exams and diagnostic tests. Review the preventive care guidelines for your specific health plan for more information.
• UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh — Renowned for its outstanding clinical services, research programs and medical education, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh has helped establish the standards of excellence in pediatric care.
• UPMC Children's Express Care — After-hours children's urgent care facilities throughout the Pittsburgh area.
• UPMC Magee-Women's Hospital — One of the nation’s top hospitals specializing in women, Magee combines a wealth of specialty services with a traditional focus on gynecologic and obstetric services.
• West Penn Pregnancy, Birth and Newborn Services — West Penn Hospital offers care, services and support for pregnancy, labor and delivery, and neonatal care.
• The Midwife Center for Birth & Women's Health — The Midwife Center is a licensed and accredited freestanding birth center. The Center's Midwives and Nurse Practitioner take care of the reproductive health needs of individuals of all ages.
• Allegheny Health Network Urgent Care — Allegheny Health Network provides a variety of urgent care locations that offer care after normal business hours or when doctors' offices are closed.
• MedExpress Urgent Care — MedExpress offers in-person urgent care locations in addition to virtual visits.

• Pennsylvania's Promise for Children — Tools to help your child learn and grow
• Trying Together — Nonprofit organization that provides advocacy, community resources and professional growth opportunities for the needs and rights of children, their families and the individuals who interact with them
• Fred Rogers Productions: Parent Resources — Topics and advice from The Mister Rogers Parenting Book
• Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative — A group of organizations highlighting the importance of play, engaging in advocacy and hosting events
• Zero to Three — Organization focused on children from birth to age three, with articles and information on a variety of parenting topics
• Kidsburgh — Online community with articles, information, guides and resources for family-friendly events and activities in Pittsburgh
• Pittsburgh Parent — Magazine that covers topics related to family life, parenting, and events for children; with directories on child care programs and summer camps
• Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library — Allows families to borrow toys at no cost and offers an indoor play space and art room

• The Alliance for Infants and Toddlers — This agency provides early intervention service coordination for children with developmental concerns.
• The PEAL Center — Provides resources for families of children with disabilities and special healthcare needs. 
• Matilda H. Theiss Child Development Center — Through UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, this center offers support for early childhood mental health.
• Allegheny Intermediate Unit — This agency provides special education and support services to local schools in addition to programming and education for families.
• The Children's Institute — The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh is the leader in innovative and integrated health care, education, and social services for children and youth with special health care needs.
• TEIS Early Intervention — TEIS provides early intervention services for children ages 0–3, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, developmental therapy and/or nutrition services.