Find an Answer to Your Question

What is the process for enrolling in our center?

Applicants begin the enrollment process by registering through our Family Information Center and selecting University of Virginia Medical Center as the employer. The registration fee is non-refundable.

When your registration is received, you will be contacted regarding the availability of space. Prior to enrollment, the center will schedule a time for you to meet with your child’s primary teachers and to learn more about the Bright Horizons’ program. 

What ages does the center serve?

The Sharon L. Hostler Child Development Center has a capacity of 152 children and will serve children ages 6 weeks through pre-kindergarten. In addition, the center will provide holiday and summer programs for school-aged children through age 6.

Is part-time care available?

We currently offer part-time care for children that are 16 months and older.

Are meals provided at the center?

We offer a morning snack, lunch, and an afternoon snack. All meals are prepared at the center.

Is there a sibling discount?

No, there is no sibling discount.

If the program is full, how soon can I enroll my child?

If the program of interest is full, the child will be placed in the wait pool. As the children in the wait pool “age up,” they will be moved to the next age group’s wait pool and placed in the pool in accordance with their lottery draw order and the date care is needed. The aging up process will not affect the child’s place in the wait pool (their wait pool date remains the same from age group to age group).

Most often, spaces will become available when children transition from one age group to the next or when families withdraw their children from the center to attend elementary school. However, priority plays a key role in determining which child is offered the next open space; in other words, availability and priority both influence selection criteria:

• Siblings of children who are already enrolled receive priority over non-enrolled families. When a space becomes available, the offer will go to a family with a sibling first. This policy helps to keep families together and provide convenience to parents who already have children enrolled.

• The next priority is based on the priority tier established by the UVa Physicians Group.

• The receipt date of the application in each tier will receive the next priority: the earlier the receipt date, the higher the priority.

• When a space opens in a particular age group, the age of the child in the wait pool must match the available space.

If I am expecting can I go ahead and register?

Yes, registrations for unborn children are accepted with a due date noted and a paid registration fee.

How long do I have to accept or decline an offer?

Offers will be made via e-mail and/or by phone. Parents are then required to accept the space by responding to the e-mail or phone message within 48 hours or 2 business days. If the center doesn’t hear from the family after 48 business hours, two (2) courtesy calls (work and home) will be made to the family to make certain they received the e-mail and subsequent the phone calls. If the center is unable to reach the parent as a result of the phone calls, this will automatically count as a decline.

Parents can decline a space up to two (2) times before being automatically removed from the list. After the second decline, if a parent would like to get back/remain on the wait list for the center, a new registration fee will need to be paid. The registration date will be the new date in which the center receives the registration fee.

Who is eligible to use the center?

The Sharon L. Hostler Child Development Center, managed by Bright Horizons, is open to UVA Physician Group employees, School of Medicine employees, Medical Center employees, and UVA faculty and staff.

Does Bright Horizons offer discounts to military families?

Tuition assistance for eligible military families is available at participating Bright Horizons’ centers when on-base care is not available. You can find more information and a map of participating centers here.