Daycare
Department of Defense Military Child Development System (CDS)
The Department of Defense (DoD) has the largest network of employer-based childcare in the country. Childcare is provided on a daily basis in over 800 Child Development Centers both in the U.S. and overseas.
The CDS offers subsidized full-day, half-day, part-day, extended hour and hourly childcare every day of the week in four types of facilities:
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Child Development Centers (CDC)
These facilities offer child care for children ages six weeks to 12 years old. Care is typically available weekdays from 6 am to 6:30 pm. The average CDC cares for about 200 children and must be accredited by the DoD and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
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In-home childcare
With in-home childcare, children receive their care in the private home of a licensed provider. Family child-care provides a greater range of services than a CDC. In-home providers can walk school-age children to and from the school bus stop, drive them to after-school activities and care for them when they are mildly sick.
In-home childcare centers can offer comparable care to a CDC. Providers must be certified by the DoD, and many seek additional accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Regulations also require that these facilities provide for a very limited number of children: no more than six charges under age eight, and no more than two charges under two years old.
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School-age care (SAC)
School age care is designed to complement classroom activities. SAC care facilities are usually open before and after school, during holidays and during the summer for day camps. These programs usually take place in youth centers or schools, but may be run in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club or a 4-H club.
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Youth Programs
In addition to their normal after-school care arrangements, parents can opt to have their children participate in a youth program. Youth programs are extracurricular activities such as a sports league, academic club or open recreation. The programs are open to children ages 6 to 18. Children under 12 are more likely to be enrolled in structured activities, like a class, while those over 12 may participate in an open gym or a sports team.
Due to a high demand for care, you may be wait-listed. Your position on the list depends on many factors that are at the discretion of the installation and may include your husband's military status, the date you apply, deployment and your employment. If these factors change while you are on the wait list, your position will be changed accordingly, so it is important that you keep your information up-to-date.
Some installations have two separate waiting lists: active and inactive. The active list is for parents who need child-care within two weeks. The inactive list places parents who will need care within three weeks to a year. This enables expecting mothers to place themselves on a wait-list before their child is actually born.
Child-care is not an entitlement, and fees are income-based. Generally, military-based child care is cheaper than civilian care, but you may be able to find a better deal with a civilian provider if you live overseas or in an area with a low-cost of living.
To apply for child care, fill out DD Form 2652, Application for Department of Defense Child Care Fees and DD Form 2606, the Department of Defense Child Development Program Request for Care Record and return them to the Resource and Referral (R&R) office at your installation.
