Childcare Support

Associations and societies were asked what childcare support they provided. Did they provide childcare awards to cover dependent care or help with childcare costs that enabled women to attend conferences? Or did they provide subsidized childcare services at home or at a childcare center? Did their association or society subsidize on-site childcare services at their meeting? On the whole few organizations out of the 46 associations offered childcare support.

There were a range of responses. The American Psychological Association offers a ‘family room’ which provides services to help family members who are traveling with someone to the meeting. Some paid half of the childcare costs or subsidized it; others reviewed this on a case by case basis (American Educational Research Association). The joint conference of the Society of Systematic Biologists/Society for the Study of Evolution/American Society of Naturalists provided childcare services. One stated that though childcare was requested it was not used. The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and others provided information for locating childcare providers and day care services and provided assistance to any attendees regarding child/family care issues or concerns.

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American Association of University Women (AAUW): AAUW fellowship funds are available for various expenses, including dependent care.

American Educational Research Association (AERA): Offers childcare for a fee at its annual meeting. We may assist fellows with child/elder care to attend a meeting or professional development activity on a case by case basis. This is typically done in a case of hardship.

Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM): In the past, had seminars on how to set up a childcare center.

Entomological Society of America: Offers small grants of up to $400 for attendees (one per family) who are bringing small children to the annual meeting or who incur extra expenses in leaving their children at home (e.g., extra daycare or babysitting services) in order to attend the annual meeting. Applications are evaluated by the child care grant selection committee.

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These associations and societies offer childcare awards for dependent care that enables women postdocs to attend their professional meeting.

These associations and societies assist with subsidized/discounted on-site dependent care at the location of the professional meeting:

These associations and societies offer subsidized childcare costs that enable women postdocs to attend the professional meeting.

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