Even the best planned child care arrangements can be disrupted during the holidays. Without a backup care plan, you might be forced to stay home or (yikes!) bring your child to work with you. Now’s the time to plan ahead and know your options so you can be prepared for the unexpected.

A backup care plan isn’t just helpful during the holidays—you might need it during the winter months when either your child or your provider is ill or when schools are closed or delayed due to weather. It’s good to have some kind of reliable fallback for any situation in which your regular child care arrangements fall through.

Work Considerations For two-parent families, the best place to begin is to talk with your spouse or partner ahead of time about your individual work schedules. Who can stay home and when? Be sure you know all the policies at your job regarding time off, sick time and flexibility in your hours at work. Ask your employer about backup care. More and more businesses are realizing that by helping employees when child care arrangements break down or children are sick, they reduce unscheduled absences and create savings for the company.

Your Current Provider If you haven't already asked, now is the time to find out how your regular provider can help. Ask about policies for ill children, scheduled closed days and substitute care. Discuss with your caregiver your need for as much notice as possible and whether she has any friends who might be able to help you in a pinch.

Resources Consider which of your relatives, friends or neighbors might be available to help you on an emergency basis. Talk to them about when it might be appropriate for you to call them. In some situations, you may be able to find another parent who is willing to help in exchange for some weekend or evening hours.

There may be backup child care centers in your area that can help. Some regular child care centers may offer backup care on a limited basis or employer-run centers may keep some slots open to the public. Family child care providers may be able to take your child because of part-time attendance by other children. Your community may also have in-home or nanny agencies available.

Plan B Preparation Tips:

  • Find more than one backup care arrangement.
  • Visit as many potential backup child care arrangements as possible with your child. Both you and your child will feel more comfortable on the day you need care if you've made the time to visit beforehand.
  • Keep a file of providers with their phone numbers and available hours.
  • Have copies of paperwork such as birth certificates and immunization records ready.
  • Organize a list and make extra copies of important family information such as phone numbers and addresses, your child's allergies, sleep patterns and favorite activities.
  • Complete pre-registration materials for programs that require advance paperwork.

You can always call your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency (CCR&R) for help. Find the CCR&R that covers your area by calling Child Care Aware at 800-424-2246 or visiting childcareaware.org.