(For Centers in Maryland ONLY)

Effective March 1, 2020, the NIH Waitlist Decline Policy is as follows:

• The first time a parent/guardian is offered a space for a given child in any of the three NIH child care centers and that space is declined, or the parent/guardian does not respond within two (2) business days, the child's waitlist profile will be given a new registration date, i.e., the date of this first decline. 

• The second time a parent/guardian is offered a space for a given child in any of the three NIH child care centers and that space is declined, or the parent/guardian does not respond within two (2) business days, the child's waitlist profile will be closed in the NIH Waitlist.  If the child is an only child, the parent/guardian waitlist profile will be closed as well.

• If parents/guardians are still interested in enrolling the child at an NIH child care center, the parents/guardians and child's profile can be re-activated for the NIH Waitlist by contacting the NIH Waitlist Manager at NIHChildCareWaitlist@adventisthealthcare.com.  If the parent/guardian needs to reactivate a child's profile only, please supply the child's full name, centers to waitlist the child for and a desired date of enrollment in the email.  All reactivated waitlist profiles will be given a new registration date - the date the reactivation is completed. DO NOT re-register the child as the child will not be connected with the original parents/guardians/siblings registration.

• The closure of a child's waitlist profile from the NIH Waitlist does not affect the status of siblings who may also be on the NIH Waitlist.

The NIH has contracted with LifeWork Strategies to oversee and administer a consolidated waitlist for the three NIH sponsored child care centers in Montgomery County, Maryland.

If you are interested in placing your child's name on the waitlist for one or more of these centers, please review the Online Waitlist Registration Information below to familiarize yourself with the waitlist procedure and selection practice for enrollment.

Please take a moment to read the Frequently Asked Questions for the Waitlist, Child Care Centers, and Enrollment Process.

The NIH sponsored child care centers aren't the only program offered for NIH families from ORS. Learn about the back-up care program, child care subsidy, resource and referral services, and more!

Online Waitlist Registration Information

To familiarize yourself with the waitlist procedures and selection practice for enrollment within the NIH Child Care Programs, please review the guidelines below:

• The Online Waitlist Registration Form is used to place your child's name onto the NIH Child Care Programs consolidated waitlist. This registration form is not an application and does not guarantee your child's enrollment into a program by the date specified on the form.
• LifeWork Strategies has been hired by the NIH solely to manage the NIH Child Care Programs consolidated waitlist. LifeWork Strategies is not involved in, nor do they participate in, the selection process for enrolling children in the child care centers.
• Registration forms are kept in chronological order of when they are submitted to LifeWork Strategies. Your child is assigned a registration date not a number.
• If you wish to have your child's name on more than one of the child care centers' waitlists, you must note each of the centers you desire on the registration form.
• Since there are many different factors that affect the enrollment selection process, i.e., when children on the waitlist have siblings already enrolled, or when children already enrolled "age-out" of programs, as well as the movement of children within the centers, there are too many variables to give an exact number or position on the waitlist.
• Enrollment determinations are made by the child care centers only. Center enrollment is limited to the following priority order:
• Federal Employees and Trainees/Fellows who work for the NIH.
• Federal Employees of Other Federal Agencies.
• NIH *Contractors who work at an NIH facility located in Maryland. (*preschool children 25-59 months old at time of registration.)
  

  NIH Volunteers, Guest Researchers and Tenants are not eligible to use the NIH Child Care Centers.

• Parents/Guardians will only be contacted by the Center Director when a space becomes available for their child. Parents/Guardians must notify the center within two (2) business days of their intention to either accept or decline the space for their child.

• If parents/guardians are still interested in enrolling the child at an NIH child care center, the parents/guardians and child's profile can be re-activated for the NIH Waitlist by contacting the NIH Waitlist Manager at NIHChildCareWaitlist@adventisthealthcare.com.  If the parent/guardian needs to reactivate a child's profile only, please supply the child's full name, centers to waitlist the child for and a desired date of enrollment in the email.  All reactivated waitlist profiles will be given a new registration date - the date the reactivation is completed. DO NOT re-register the child as the child will not be connected with the original parents/guardians/siblings registration.

• The closure of a child's waitlist profile from the NIH Waitlist does not affect the status of siblings who may also be on the NIH Waitlist.

• If you need to add a child, add a center, or change any of your information on your profile and you have already registered on-line, you must contact LifeWork Strategies to make those changes. Duplicate or incomplete registrations may cause a delay in processing your child's on-line waitlist registration. To contact LifeWork Strategies, please email NIHChildCareWaitlist@adventisthealthcare.com or call 301-315-3241.
• Parents/Guardians registered on the waitlist will be contacted by LifeWork Strategies every four (4) months for follow-up to assure that their information is still accurate e.g., to verify their desire to continue to remain on the waitlist and to be offered an opportunity to find alternate child care options while they wait.
• LifeWork Strategies will also conduct follow-up telephone calls when necessary to get updated information.

After you read these guidelines, if you are still interested in placing your child's name on the waitlist, you may complete the Online Waitlist Registration Form by clicking the link below. 

On-Line Waitlist Registration Form