Event or Visitor Child Care

Rather than setting up child care rooms for campus events, U-M departments and programs are encouraged to support families in securing their own child care off-campus. University rooms and spaces might not provide needed safety and required equipment; State of Michigan child care licensing rules are in place; and staffing requires background checks, training and supervision.

Instead, U-M departments and programs might consider:

• Offering financial support for your visitors to bring their own family member or friend to provide child care in their hotel room
• Providing guests with multiple resources such as online caregiver listings at Care.com and Sittercity.com, and agencies such as Kennedy Care Backup Child Care and Jovie, if they would like to hire someone to provide care in their hotel room. Also, parents may be able to find short-term care, particularly on weekdays, in a licensed child care center or home. Only the parent should search for and secure this child care, not the U-M host department or program.
• Reimbursing guests for a portion of their child care expenses related to your campus event
• Allowing parents or legal guardians to have their own child with them, with the understanding that the parent will be with, and provide all care for, their own child at all times

Short-term Child Care

All proposed short-term child care programs must be developed according to the State of Michigan child care licensing guidelines, and the U-M Children on Campus policies.

The U-M Children's Centers, which are already state licensed, may be able to offer child care during limited weekend hours for those who wish to organize reservation-based child care for our students and employees. This would need to be explored months in advance, and done in collaboration with the Child and Family Care director and the center director. The sponsoring organization would be responsible for supporting related operations including program design, staff hiring, training, scheduling, enrollment of families, handling payment, and following all child care licensing and U-M requirements.  

Important Resources

Child and Family Care provides links to child care resources. Email us if you need additional information. We cannot provide guidance on setting up temporary child care spaces in campus buildings. Please refer to the State child care licensing rules and guide to child care licensing, and to the U-M Children on Campus program.

Child and Family Care does not endorse or represent any resources listed as recommended by the University of Michigan.