Care.com can provide options for vetted in-home or in-center child care for when your child’s regular school or daycare is closed, when your child is sick or under the weather, to cover holidays or any other time a quality caregiver is needed. 

24 hours notice before the requested date/time is preferred; however, Care.com will generally respond to requests within 2 hours. Care may be requested up to 90 days in advance. Backup care can be used for when your regular child care provider might be unavailable or during your child’s school holidays and breaks. All ages are included.

Brown will cover the following each year for doctoral students:

• Free membership
• Subsidized Child Backup Care: 5 days/year
• Students serving in stipended Teaching Assistant, Teaching Assistant II, Teaching Fellow, Research Assistant, or Proctorship positions are eligible for an additional 5 days/year (email Graduate_School@brown.edu to have these additional days added to your Care.com account)
• Benefit is per calendar year, Jan 1 - Dec 31

• $4 per hour for in-home care
• $10 a day, per child at child care center

1. Register for Care.com through Care.com online portal at browngradfamilies.care.com, even if you don’t have an immediate care need. That way, your account will be ready to go when you need it.
2. When you’re ready to use Care.com, visit browngradfamilies.care.com and click “Enroll Now”. You can also call 855-781-1303. If you already have a care.com account, when asked if you are new to care.com, simply select “No.”
3. Identify the type of care you need through the online portal. If you’re calling in, press the number that corresponds to your care needs.
4. Follow the prompts to complete your search for care.
5. Optional: share your feedback by answering a brief survey that will be sent to you after care is complete.