You have a full day of work ahead. The Children First facility, which officially opened last month and was dedicated Friday at 225 N. Michigan, gives employees at several downtown companies an alternative when their primary day-care provider falls through. It's a boon for employees and employers alike, officials said Friday. The center is the second Chicago location for Children First, a Boston-based company that also operates centers in that city, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The first Chicago center, at 500 W. Monroe, opened in 1995.
Employees pay nothing, or a nominal fee, to place their children in the centers.
Parents use them when their regular care providers are sick or on vacation, during school holidays, when they must travel for work or during emergencies. Parents can reserve a spot for their child up to a week in advance. They also can get in at the last minute, as long as a spot is available, but space can run out during busy times, such as school holidays. It improves their morale. All rights are reserved by the Chicago Sun-Times.