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Backup and Drop-In Care

Backup care, also known as drop-in care, is short-term care you access when your regular childcare arrangements fall through. You can use backup care when, for example:

Backup care is not intended as a replacement for routine childcare arrangements.  

Care for Business Backup Care

Northwestern offers a subsidized childcare backup care program through Care for Business, separate from the Care.com digital marketplace. This program allows faculty, staff, graduate students and postdocs to:

Call 855-781-1303 or login to the Care for Business portal through MyHR Benefits by clicking on the care.com icon in the benefits section to access vetted, experienced Care.com employees and area centers for backup childcare.

To login as a Northwestern Graduate student, please use this login portal.

We recommend registering for your Care for Business account before the need arises and requesting care as early as possible.