Alternative child care services available during the pandemic
Kids Kare at Home is a service for U-M faculty, staff and students when regular child care is unavailable, and it remains open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Administered by the university HR’s Work-Life Resource Center, Kids Kare provides trained caregivers in the home. The hourly cost is subsidized for some university faculty, staff and students using a sliding scale based on family income.
In order to use the service, employees must register online. When applicable, an hourly sliding-scale rate, based on total family income, will be provided upon registration. Registrants must provide their family income in order to receive subsidized rates. The full cost without subsidy is $23 per hour for in-home care. However, depending on total household income, it can be as low as $7 per hour.
Additional support is available through Family Helpers, a database of U-M students, recent graduates and retirees who offer short-term, partial week or occasional services in the family homes of current faculty, staff and students. Child care and elder care are among the services being listed.
Due to U-M classes now being held online, many additional students have registered to be a Family Helper. Visit the Family Helpers website to learn more.
Finally, an alternative includes Washtenaw Intermediate School District and Child Care Network First Responder Care. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order to coordinate additional child care for first responders. This service is for anyone on campus or at Michigan Medicine with an essential role in care, safety, cleaning and dining support. Fill out this form and the Child Care Network will contact you directly.
