Challenges

Access, Scalability, Worker Issues

Location

Nationwide

Stakeholders

Businesses

Beneficiaries

Parents, Children, Businesses

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Overview

Upwards, a tech-enabled childcare network, provides an employer-sponsored childcare benefit that connects working parents with affordable home-based daycare options.

Key Impact Metrics

  • 800%
    increase in companies offering WeeCare benefits from 2020 to 2021
  • 100+
    companies use the platform
  • $130
    in average subsidy to employees per month

Solution

Upwards was created to address the dual-sided childcare crisis in the United States. For parents, the problem was a severe shortage of affordable, high-quality childcare, creating "childcare deserts" where options were scarce, waitlists were long, and costs were prohibitively expensive. This scarcity and expense created immense stress for working families, forcing many, particularly women, to make difficult career choices. For potential caregivers, the problem was the barrier to entry for starting a licensed in-home daycare. Aspiring providers faced daunting and complex licensing requirements, a lack of business support, and the administrative burdens of marketing, billing, and curriculum planning. Upwards was founded to solve both problems simultaneously by building a platform to empower caregivers to easily launch and manage their own small businesses, thereby increasing the supply of accessible, affordable childcare options for families.

Results

  • Beneficiary Impact
    500+ companies use the platform
  • Employee Impact
    Half of the employees who use the WeeCare platform are in towns with populations under 100,000, illustrating the inclusivity of the solution
  • Financial Results
    Typically, around $100–$150 per month per employee in direct assistance

Replication Tips

  • Start with a pilot and scale up: If leadership is unsure, begin with a pilot subsidy in one region or department. Track improvements in attendance and retention. Often, as seen, the demand will far exceed expectations (Upwards reported an 800% jump once companies started, showing word spread). Present those results to expand company-wide.

Suggested Implementation Timeline

~4-10 months

Sources