Back-Up Care

Because care gaps shouldn’t create business gaps

When employee caregiving challenges arise and threaten productivity, Bright Horizons Back-Up Care™ keeps your teams working, not worrying. Fast, reliable and vetted support for children, elders, and even pets reduce stress and absenteeism. The result? A workforce that stays working. 

Father sitting at a table with daughter in his lap

One partner. Every age. Every stage.

The only back-up care solution offering instant booking, the highest compliance standards, and unmatched access to high-quality providers through our network of owned and operated providers for total peace of mind.
Children sitting on the floor with their hands up smiling

Child Care

Comprehensive center-based and in-home child care through trusted providers gives working parents a safety net for care gaps

Two children laying in a play tent smiling

Camps

On-site and virtual options for school breaks with activities for children ages 3-12 offer families flexible, dependable support

Tutor helping teen with work

Tutoring

Virtual and in-person tutoring options give parents peace of mind that their child’s education is on track

Caretaker helping older woman with walker

Adult and senior care

In-home senior care programs and adult center-based care options provide support for employees with aging loved ones

Woman kissing small white dog

Pet care

Premium access to sitters and walkers allow employees to focus on work, knowing their furry friends are happy and healthy

Mother smiling while two kids hug her

Reimbursable care

When network care isn’t available, employees can find their own caregiver and get reimbursed, ensuring care continuity

Back-up care 101

The guide to a program that works

Learn what to include in your back-up care program, how to create it, and how to reach employees. It’s everything you need to know for a winning employee experience.

Daughter holding father's tie as he crouches down to her

Fewer missed days, more focused teams

Stand out in a competitive talent market, enhance employee loyalty, and sustain engagement with a flexible benefit that meets the evolving needs of today’s workforce.

  • Boost culture: 9 in 10 Bright Horizons Back-Up Care users say the benefit makes them more loyal to their employers
  • Fuel recruitment and retention: workforce disengagement and poor company culture can cost organizations between $4,000 and $21,000 per employee each year
  • Build your bottom line: nearly 4 in 10 workers report that personal worries are a distraction to them at work
video icon parent perspectives

The value of back-up care

Hear how employees leverage back-up care to alleviate caregiving stress, whether its for everyday care needs or unexpected care gaps.
Woman working at a computer

Care you can count on — because we own the network that delivers it

More than 1,100 employers trust Bright Horizons Back-Up Care for its breadth, quality, and effectiveness at sourcing care how and when employees need it. We deliver:

  • Comprehensive coverage: the industry’s largest back-up care provider and the only care provider with hands-on operational experience in nearly every care category
  • Safety and reliability: fully licensed, experienced, and vetted caregivers
  • Proven impact: Bright Horizons’ partners collectively save more than a million workdays; no other provider even comes close 
Back-up care supports life’s unpredictability, reducing employee stress, meeting diverse caregiving needs, and keeping teams focused, making it a high-impact driver of well-being, productivity, and loyalty.

Solutions that evolve with your workforce

Bright Horizons has been trusted by top employers to solve work/life challenges for decades — and we’re still evolving to meet the needs of today’s workforce. Employees can book instantly and access care quickly and confidently through a fully integrated system designed for flexibility and ease.
Woman looking at a tablet while talking on the phone

    Key features include:

  • Employees can reserve care from anywhere with just one click, 24/7/365
  • Highly trained consultants can answer questions and advise the best care options to meet employees’ needs
  • A comprehensive site offers self-service access as well as all the forms required for care

Knowing that your kids, your parents, even your pets are being taken care of by someone you trust removes a major stressor from your life. A big reason why we decided to partner with Bright Horizons to help implement these benefits is because of their reputation and longevity in the industry. Our people do not want to give their children over to someone who doesn’t have an outstanding reputation and a history of quality care.
Vice President of Total Rewards,
The Boyd Group
Our operations go far beyond teaching. When employees use their back-up care benefit, it helps ensure our community members can eat in our cafeterias, get help with technology issues, access our libraries, and walk safely around our campuses. Every day saved is critical to our success as an institution.
Associate Vice President for Employee Engagement and Workplace Culture,
Yale Universty
Back-up care gives them that peace of mind that their relative will be looked after, so they can be fully present at work. It’s been an overwhelming success for us with 96% of our surveyed users saying the back-up care program makes them more committed to Legacy and reduces their stress.
Vice President of Human Resources,
Legacy Community Health

Explore Bright Horizons Back-Up Care for your team

Bright Horizons Back-Up Care gives employees the support they need to drive your business forward.


Looking to book care or access your employee benefits? Get started here.

Ready to get started?

Learn what back-up care would look like at your company