As part of the University’s commitment to help faculty and staff meet the challenges of balancing work obligations with family commitments, the Work/Life Resource Center again is offering Kids Kare at Home. Faculty and staff who want to register for the program must do so by Oct. 29.

Kids Kare at Home is a safe and secure emergency back-up option for times when childcare falls through. For example, if a child is sick and must stay home from daycare, but the parent has an important meeting that can’t be missed, a Kids Kare caregiver can be called to provide back-up care.

Faculty and staff can register at http://www.umich.edu/~hraa/worklife/kidskare/. Those who enrolled for the service for 2004 must re-register for next year.

“I teach in an intensive, team-taught program and I can’t miss work,” says Olga Lopez-Cotin, a senior lecturer and head of the Spanish Program in the LSA’s Residential College. “Having Kids Kare as an option has really helped.

“I don’t have any family in the area, and having an agency service that provides screened and dependable people puts me at ease. All of the providers have been good. Some have been phenomenal.”