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June 03, 2025
Backup care is often top of mind when HR leaders think about supporting working parents, for good reason—it’s a tangible, high-impact solution that helps prevent absenteeism, ensures coverage during school closures or unexpected gaps, and provides peace of mind. But if backup care is the beginning and end of your caregiving strategy, you’re missing the bigger picture.
At Cleo, we recently heard this from a prospective client after walking through our platform:
“Finding and paying for backup care is just one part of the entire caregiving journey. Cleo is the only vendor we have heard from that has really expanded the conversation to what caregivers at all stages really struggle with, and what more comprehensive support could look like.”
What’s missing from the backup care conversation?
Backup care is often seen as the answer to a logistical problem: Who can watch my kid today? But caregiving—especially parenting—doesn’t begin or end with a single drop-off. There are emotional, mental, and long-term logistical challenges baked into every decision.
For example, a parent might:
- Feel deep guilt or anxiety about leaving a toddler with a new caregiver
- Wonder if a temporary solution is developmentally appropriate or safe
- Juggle communications with multiple providers, insurance, and work deadlines
- Experience resentment or burnout from having to constantly be the contingency plan
And that’s before we even get to other caregiving challenges—like supporting a child with a new diagnosis, a partner in recovery, or an aging parent.
Employers need to meet the real needs of caregivers
A backup care benefit is a helpful tool. But if your caregiving strategy ends there, you’re not solving the root of the issue. Working caregivers aren’t just looking for someone to watch their child for the day. They’re looking for:
- Decision support when choosing care or navigating diagnoses
- Emotional support when they feel like they’re failing at home or at work
- Long-term planning help to coordinate across family, providers, and work
- A sense of belonging in a workplace that truly understands what they’re carrying
This is where full, holistic caregiver support comes in.
Whole-family support, far beyond backup care
Cleo supports caregivers from pregnancy to parenting, from complex family health needs to elder care. We go beyond crisis-mode coverage to provide proactive, personalized support—through expert Guides, on-demand content, and culturally-relevant care navigation.
When your employees have the support they need to manage their whole caregiving journey—not just today’s emergency—they’re more likely to stay, thrive, and trust their employer has their back.
So yes, keep your backup care. It’s valuable. But don’t stop there.
Let’s make caregiving support what it really needs to be: comprehensive, human, and designed for the long haul.
Want to learn how to support all your caregivers?
Connect with us to see how Cleo helps employers expand their benefits strategy with the kind of support families really need.