How to Find Affordable, Quality and Licensed Childcare

Military families need safe, affordable and reliable childcare to be mission ready. Learn how to access resources to help you find affordable, quality childcare, take steps to secure the care your family needs and find out how to make sure your provider is licensed and qualified.

Resources to help you find affordable, quality care

It’s essential to find a convenient childcare program that is open when you need it and within your budget. But most importantly, be sure the War Department has certified the program or that it is licensed in your state — this way you’ll know your children are safe, healthy and learning.

• Requesting care
  MilitaryChildCare.com is the DOW’s request-for-care management system that streamlines childcare searches, connects families to quality resources and enables parents to find trusted, comprehensive information on military-operated or military-approved childcare programs worldwide.

  Families can search for and request care, manage their requests and update their household profile online — anytime and from anywhere. Search for full- and part-time care at facility-based or home-based childcare programs, including before- and after-school care, as well as summer and holiday camps.

• Hourly care options
  U.S. military families have expanded options to find hourly, in-home caregivers and licensed childcare centers through Military OneSource. Search for hourly, flexible and on-demand childcare that’s available beyond the typical 9-to-5 workday. This service is available to anyone who is eligible for Military OneSource services.
• Fee assistance
  The DOW offers fee assistance programs to qualifying families to offset the full cost of childcare for military families who are unable to access installation childcare. The amount of fee assistance is based on the family’s total income and will not cover the entire cost of childcare.

How to determine if childcare providers are licensed

For the safety of military children, the DOW does not permit unlicensed childcare on installations and discourages the use of unlicensed care in civilian neighborhoods. If you determine that Family Child Care or home-based care is best for your family, make sure it is licensed and regulated for the safety of your children and quality of learning.

• Contact your installation Family Child Care office to determine if the childcare program you’re interested in falls under their responsibility.
• Find out if the potential provider has a license from your state or local government. While licensing does not guarantee quality, it sets minimum requirements and ensures that programs are monitored for compliance. Contact the state licensing agency to find out if a childcare provider has a license, and to view the provider’s licensing record.
• Check the National Database of Child Care Licensing Regulations for your state’s licensing requirements, including the number of children one adult can care for at a time (child-staff ratio), number of children allowed in a class (group size), how children are supervised, food and nutrition guidelines, building safety, immunization requirements and other practices to help prevent the spread of disease.
• Find out if a potential childcare provider is exempt from licensing laws. Most states allow some exemptions for certain childcare providers, such as those who care for relatives or a small number of children or operate with limited hours. Your state licensing agency can explain which providers qualify for exemption. Exempt providers must still meet health and safety requirements if any of the children they serve receive federal childcare fee assistance.

What to do if you discover unlicensed childcare on a military installation

Meeting the childcare needs of military families is important to the DOW, and making sure military children are cared for in safe, healthy, quality environments is the highest priority. Installations have processes in place to follow up and investigate any reports of unauthorized childcare.

If you discover unlicensed childcare on your installation, notify any of the following installation offices: installation commander, child and youth services, military police or housing. Find contact information for installation offices on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS.

Your installation will visit the home, ensure the provider receives information about the DOW Family Child Care program and provide a written request to cease the childcare operation until the care provider becomes certified.

If you need additional assistance with your childcare needs, Military OneSource consultants are available 24/7/365 to help. Call 800-342-9647, view overseas calling options or log in to start a secure live chat.