The Military Child Care Act: Options and Resources

Congress responded by creating the Military Child Care Act of 1989. The Act was created to alleviate child care issues for military families living and working on military bases. It targeted gaps in:

• Safe, high-quality child care provider options
• Availability of child care
• Child care affordability

This article details the Military Child Care system. You’ll learn more about different providers, eligibility, subsidies, and more.

See the Family, Employment, and Housing section of FindLaw’s Military Law for more information and resources.

Military Child Care Provider Options

The Military Child Care Act provides for child care help for military personnel in:

• Air Force
• Army
• Marine Corps
• National Guard
• Navy
• Reserves
• Space Force

Military families can access four different types of child care through the Military Child Care Act:

Child Development Centers (CDCs)

Military child development centers are similar to day care centers which offer programs for children from six weeks to 5 years old. Staff is trained in early childhood education and CDCs typically meet professional quality standards. Most CDCs are open between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. However, a commanding officer may extend open hours if necessary.

Family Child Care Homes (FCCs)

These are in-home day care centers run by individual homeowners. They care for children from infants to twelve years old. The military trains these homeowners to care for up to six children at a time. FCCs typically have more flexible hours and may be available in areas without a CDC.

School Age Child Programs

These are after school and summer programs for children between six and 12 years of age. Sometimes the military runs these programs entirely. Other times, the military uses partnerships with local organizations to run these programs. If run by a community partner organization, military parents receive special discounts or financial assistance.

Expanded Hourly Childcare Program

The Department of Defense recognized not all childcare is needed during regular business hours. Military families and survivors eligible for the other programs can now access a free database to find hourly childcare.

Military Childcare Programs: Eligibility and Affordability

Each branch of the military maintains its own child care programs:

• Army Child Development Centers
• Navy Child and Youth Programs (includes the Marine Corps.)
• Air Force Child Development Programs
• Coast Guard Child Development Centers
• Space X Child Development Programs

These programs are available for children of:

• Active duty personnel
• Department of Defense (DoD) civilian personnel
• DoD contractors
• Reserves
• Surviving military spouses
• Wounded warriors

Parents with children in military child care pay a weekly child care fee for each child. The fee is based on the total family income recorded on the most recent tax return. Parent fees may change from year to year.

Caregivers can explore child care options and find resources on the Military Childcare section of the Military OneSource website. Child care navigators can also recommend the best program for each child.

Some states also offer fee assistance for authorized active duty personnel who don’t have access to child care on their military installation. The programs vary by state, but eligible parents can get help choosing and paying for civilian child care. Visit ChildCare Aware of America to find eligible programs and assistance requirements.

Provider Availability and Wait Lists

Being eligible and approved for military child care programs doesn’t necessarily guarantee the availability of child care. A common issue with child care programming is lack of availability and long wait lists.

This is a concern for parents seeking covered childcare after approval for subsidized programs. Active duty military parents can apply for fee assistance at civilian child care providers if they cannot use an on-base provider due to availability, wait lists, or distance.

Quality Controls for Military Child Care

The military closely monitors the quality of its child care programs through several measures. Further, military child care programs must receive certification from the DoD and accreditation from a national accrediting organization.

Military child care centers must be staffed with well-trained, qualified child care employees. Each CDC has a Training and Curriculum Specialist, who creates a training program for the staff and curricula for the children. CDC staff must complete a basic training program and continue to train throughout their employment.

CDC employees must also pass an extensive background check and employment screening. This typically includes:

• Child abuse and neglect registry check
• Criminal record
• Drug testing
• FBI fingerprint check
• Sex offender registry check

CDC workers’ wages are usually higher than those of civilian day care workers. CDC workers are also eligible for wage increases when they complete training courses. These higher wages are meant to attract and retain talented individuals to military child care programs.

The military also conducts regular and surprise inspections of each child care facility. The inspections examine the quality of the child care facility's curriculum as well as the safety of the children in these programs. If the child care facility fails to meet the military's standards, the facility must shut down until it can remedy the shortcoming.

Get More Help With Military Childcare Services

If you have additional questions about the Military Child Care Act or related programs, talk to your HR administrator.

You can also discuss your concerns and questions with an attorney. Contact a military law attorney to learn how they can support you and your family. An experienced attorney can help you understand your rights to military childcare and help you protect your family's best interests.