Minutes of the Childcare Initiative meeting 25.10.2007<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>Participants: Dirk Hofmann, Cigdem Issever, Richard Teuscher, Pauline Gagnon, Sarah Eno, Maria Chamizo Llatas, Adina, Patricia Conde Muino, Steve Goldfarb, Frank Geurts

<o:p> </o:p>

·    The meeting started with a summary given by Pauline of the initiative goals and the outcome of the first contact of ATLAS and CMS. Pauline laid out the strategy we are thinking to pursue:

1.      First form a task force and perform a survey of the needs.

2.      At the same time, try to collect information on the existing resources.

3.      Then write a proposal and present it to ACCU and ask for their help.

• Pauline pointed created a web page based on “Share Point” for the initiative which will enable multiple users to edit the web page, add information and set up questionnaires in a very convenient way. The web siteaddress is http://cern.ch/childcare-initiative. The site is still under construction.   

<o:p> </o:p>

• Cigdem then presented the needs for the survey. She presented a first set of questions for the questionnaire to evaluate the needs and asked if she had missed anything. It was pointed out that one should also add questions about the language of the children and if they need special care. Maria mentioned that CERN had a similar questionnaire which was sent out to CERN staff to evaluate their needs. Pauline will try to get a copy of it. Cigdem and Pauline asked for volunteers to help with the survey of the existing resources and childcare needs of the users. Patricia agreed to help with the questionnaire about childcare needs. Dirk and Sarah will contact DESY and Fermilab and find out what are their policies with respect to on-site childcare.

<o:p> </o:p>

• There was a discussion about the costs and it was felt that CERN should subsidize the child care facilities such that the fees would depend on the income of the parents.

<o:p> </o:p>

• Maria gave a summary of her experiences with different official organizations at CERN to find help for childcare. She basically did not find much support and was at the end very disappointed about the feedback she got. She also gave a nice summary about the current childcare possibilities at CERN which are limited.

<o:p> </o:p>

• We then discussed the general timeline. The questionnaire and survey of the existing resources should be done by the end of this year.  Our aim is to submit a written proposal to ACCU before their 05.03.2008 meeting and to present our proposal at this meeting and to ask for their support.

<o:p> </o:p>

Our next meeting will be on the 12.11.2007 at 11:00 am CERN time.