Kids Kare at Home Backup Child Care 

Register now for access to Kids Kare at Home!

Please log in to register for access during the current calendar year. 

The Kids Kare at Home service provider has specific requirements before they will consider care requests for mildly-ill children.

About the Program

If your regular child caregiver is unavailable, and you have U-M work obligations, Kids Kare at Home may be able to help.

  • Occasional, backup, in-your-home child care for families who have current U-M affiliations. See Can I Use Kids Kare? for eligibility details.
  • Partially-subsidized hourly rate for families who qualify (based on reported total household adjusted gross income). Please note that any subsidy is limited to 48 subsidized hours of care per calendar year, per U-M household. Any hours over 48 hours per calendar year are billed at the unsubsidized rate of $28.50 per hour.
  • For children ages 13 and under (or older children with special needs up to the age of 25 who cannot be left alone)
  • Care is provided by Kennedy Care/Safe at Home, a contracted supplier of services
  • Caregivers are Red Cross trained, and have had state and FBI criminal background checks
  • Please log in to register for access during the current calendar year (registering well in advance of needing a caregiver is highly recommended)
  • Families who request care will also need to complete annual information forms for Kennedy Care/Safe at Home

Learn more about Kids Kare at Home:

Please note: the unsubsidized rate for Kids Kare is $28.50 in 2024 (for one to two children, minimum four hours daily; three or more children are billed at 1 1/2 times this hourly rate). However, you may qualify for a U-M subsidized rate. On the Kids Kare online registration form, be sure to enter your reported total household adjusted gross income, which is indicated on your federal tax return, to determine if you qualify for a subsidy. If we do not have your household income amount, you will automatically be billed for the full, unsubsidized cost of care.

Disclaimer: The U-M Kids Kare at Home program is offered as an option for parents and guardians. The use of the program should be carefully considered by parents and guardians, taking into account individual situations and preferences. The caregivers for this program are screened through a caregiver agency, Kennedy Care/Safe at Home. Child and Family Care does not endorse or recommend any individual caregiver.