Backup Childcare

Planning For Backup Childcare Needs

Plan ahead. Talk with family and friends about everyone’s needs and schedules to plan ahead. Understand your options at work and discuss them with co-workers who might know additional resources. Think about your child’s temperament and what situation would best suit him or her.

Determine when your schedule might call for backup care. Think about mid-year vacation breaks, teacher training days, early-release days, Monday holidays, and summer vacation. Know how your child’s school will notify you of unexpected closings.

Decide what types of backup care you may need. Think about sick child care, school-holiday care, summer-program care, business-travel child care, and overtime-work child care).

Expect the unexpected. No matter how carefully you plan ahead, you can’t predict everything.

Backup Care Options & How to Find Them

Childcare centers. Childcare centers require advance preparation (i.e. completed paperwork and filed immunization records) before they accept children on a “drop-in” or short-term basis. Contact childcare centers to ask questions, schedule a tour, and complete any necessary paperwork before they’re needed. 

Informal care. Relatives, friends, neighbors, and babysitters are resources you should utilize. For school-aged children, try making advance arrangements with parents of your child's classmates for "trading-off" childcare when schools are delayed or closed.

Before and after-school programs. Many programs extend their operating hours through school vacation weeks and Monday holidays. If they don’t, some other programs provide care during those times to children who don’t ordinarily use their specific program. Consult providers at your local school for other local programs.

School vacation week programs. Many community organizations like YMCA’s, art centers, and recreation departments offer programs designed to provide care during school vacation weeks. Museums, wildlife centers, and parks sometimes offer programs like these as well.

Alternative work arrangements. Sometimes using backup care isn’t possible or practical (e.g., when your child is sick), so make plans in advance for how you will handle your work responsibilities if you must stay home to care for your child. Be sure to obtain approval from your supervisor for any alternative work arrangements if you are required by UD policy to do so. 

• Use technology to work remotely on a short-term basis. 
• If you teach classes, make arrangements for a colleague to cover your class or take advantage of resources such as Partners in the Classroom.
• If your family includes more than one working adult, consider staggering your work schedules.