Are any of you the back up providers for children that regularly attend other in home centers? or normally have other full time childcare arrangements? How does this work for you? Do you get the kids with little to no notice?

I am curious how it works since I will be in the position soon to need full time care plus a back up in case the first provider has to close for illness or take off unexpectedly. When my first child went to daycare I had family that could be a back up and they don't live nearby now so I am thinking I am going to have to find two separate childcare arrangements for my infant.

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I'm a daycare provider now, but when my son was in daycare, I just had my momlr mother in law that could help in a bind. Or I would take a personal day or my husband would.

I would ask the provider how often in a year she has averaged closing for illness or unexpectedly. I close 2 weeks a year for vacation but I give about 6 months notice. For illnesses, I've closed twice in 7 years.

You could always look at daycare centers in the area or ymca daycares that have drop in rates for your back up.
Hope that helps!

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Yup, I offer drop in care for a few families when available. Mostly I cover other providers vacations or school holidays because many follow the public school schedule and I don't. But I can only do it if I have space that day so it's not gaurnteed. It's been a way to advertise really. Often people will tell their friends who are looking for backup or may need care but someplace is full and looking for recommendations. This type of care is pretty hard to find in this area though. Anyways, how it works is they contact me when they know they need care. I let them know if the space is available. If it is they can come that day, pay the daily rate (higher then my full and part time rates) and they supply everything except food (I supply everything for my full and part time families).
I do have some who have wanted the spot and then never showed up. These families need to pay in advance because I don't like giving them the spot that someone else could use and then not showing up.

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I have done it occasionally for my provider friend. You could ask the provider you choose if she knows someone like this who could do back up. At the time, I wasn't running at full capacity by choice so always had at least one spot open.

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I offer drop in care, or care for short term situations. The key is you will want to know who you want to call ahead of time. Possibly already have paperwork filled out. Because if I don't have paperwork and haven't met with you, I won't take your child in for care. So if you find out at 9PM that you need care tomorrow, you need to have met with me already. I do this on a space available basis, so that can be an issue, but I haven't had it be yet.

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I have taken in families as a back up provider. Sometimes with only less than a day's notice.
But again, that's only if I have space available for the age category they're looking for (I never have infant availability since I can only care for one) and all the paperwork is filled out in advance.
Luckily, we have drop in centers around here, which is what my enrolled families use if their family members are unavailable. But, that comes at a much steeper price.

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I do offer back up/drop in care as long as I have the opening. If I were in your position, I would look for providers in your area who offer drop in care and and have all the paperwork filled out (and kept updated) in case you need care on short notice.

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Yes!! Meet, interview, fill out anything etc BEFORE you need care. It amazes me how many people will contact me asking if I can watch their child before they've even met me or seen my home. I always say no in those cases.

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