Hourly/Back-up Child Care

KidsKare

Reduced Rate Hourly/Back-up Child Care for UW-Madison faculty, staff, and student parents

The KidsKare program makes back-up  child care affordable for UW-Madison faculty, staff and students by offering reduced rate services at Little Chicks Learning Academy.

Hourly/back-up care is a good option for unexpected, short-term, or occasional child care needs. For example, when your child care provider is ill or unavailable, or if you need evening or weekend hours to meet the needs of work or family.

Apply for Kids Kare

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Who qualifies for this program?

KidsKare was developed to meet the needs of UW-Madison parents for back-up child services. Through the program, income-eligible families pay a sliding-scale fee (based on annual income) for care at Little Chicks Learning Academy.

Back-up/Hourly Child Care:

  • UW-Madison student parents enrolled in the Child Care Tuition Assistance Program (CCTAP) may use 50 hours of KidsKare services each semester at no cost. Funding for student families is provided through CCTAP with student segregated fees.
  • UW-Madison student parents who are not eligible for CCTAP may still apply and receive financial support, paying a sliding-scale fee based on annual income.
  • UW-Madison permanent faculty and staff parents may apply for KidsKare and receive financial support, paying a sliding scale fee based on annual income. Funding for faculty and staff families is provided through generous gifts from the UW Foundation Women’s Philanthropy Council, which has supported the program since 2006.

How do I apply?

If you are a UW-Madison student, faculty or staff:

  • New online application now available: APPLY HERE

Once accepted into KidsKare, you will receive a confirmation letter. Eligibility will be verified and a rate determination will be made by our office prior to the start of services.

Who provides this service?

The KidsKare Program back-up/hourly child care is provided by Little Chicks Learning Academy to meet the needs of hourly/short term needs. Pediatric nurses Becky Ketarkus, RN, BSN and Jessie Pindilli, RN, BSN own and operate the facilities.

  • Please visit the Little Chicks Learning Academy web site at www.universitykids.org for more information, including enrollment forms and unsubsidized costs.
  • Call Little Chicks, (608) 233-7373, for current rates.

How is billing handled?

Students, faculty and staff who are enrolled in KidsKare will pay their reduced rate directly to Little Chicks. You will be notified of your co-pay amount as soon as your application has been processed. If you have questions about the KidsKare program, please contact Barb Douglas at (608) 265-9123 or e-mail bldouglas@wisc.edu.

More Hourly/Back-up Child Care Options

These are additional providers who may provide back-up child care care near Madison, WI (KidsKare hours cannot be used at these centers).

Creando Little Language Explorers

(Madison, WI) Licensed Preschool-Afterschool Camps

Little Parachutes – Facebook Page 

(Verona, WI) Flexible child care options.