Here are some comments from UC Berkeley student parents who have used the Back-up Child Care program in the past year.

If you would like to encourage other student parents to use this program by sharing your experience about its benefit to you, please email the program coordinator at [email protected].

Of course, suggestions for improvement are always welcome too — and are used (anonymously) to give feedback to the service provider.


UC Berkeley’s backup care service has been a great boon for us in its inaugural year, which was also our inaugural year as parents. We used our hours incrementally, as support when (say) someone was sick, or an important meeting could not be rescheduled, or a conference paper was to be delivered. We used our hours in Berkeley, and in other cities nationally. We used our hours, most of all, with one regular local provider whom we came to know well. Without the university’s subsidy, care of this quality would otherwise have been completely unaffordable. The service demonstrates Berkeley’s commitment to the success of its graduate students.


This is soooo cool! Thanks for starting/running this pilot program 🙂


This program was tremendously helpful. I am very thankful for it. I had my baby in December and having back-up care helped so much with the transition back to teaching and researching for the Spring semester. I was able to call on care when I needed it for flexible work commitments (like once-monthly meetings). I was able to spend a lot of time caring for my child and do more work than I would have been able to otherwise, through arranging care among myself, my partner, a friend, and this back-up care program. Now that the baby is older, we are starting with regular care. I think the program will be very helpful for potential sick days, when I am away at conferences, etc. Overall, Bright Horizons was very professional and could fill requests very quickly and on short notice.


I think it is a fantastic program! We can not afford regular child care as long as I am in grad school, so this has been a lifesaver! Thanks!


I absolutely love this program and I’m grateful to have it.


The childcare provider who worked with us was fantastic. Punctual, reliable, and great with our child.


The program is very reliable and convenient.


It was great, extremely helpful for my wife and I to finish our dissertations.


I am very pleased with the backup childcare and I greatly hope that the program continues.


It was great service, and the back-up child care program helped me finish my school work. Thank you UCB!