FAMILY CHILD CARE

The Family Child Care Program offers child care in a certified home setting by individuals living on or off base.

These self-employed providers operate their homes independently in compliance with strict Air Force policies, which include frequent inspections (announced and unannounced) and close monitoring by the Family Child Care staff.

Extensive background screenings on the providers and their family members and orientation training must be completed prior to certification. Annual and monthly trainings are required to maintain licensing that surpasses state requirements.

The Family Child Care Program is designed to provide an alternative to center-based care with flexible hours (full-time, part-time, before and after school, drop in, and extended duty care) and small groups in a home setting.

Our goal is to ensure quality childcare is available to military members and DoD employees so they can successfully perform their mission duties, secure in the knowledge that their children are cared for in a safe, healthy, and loving environment.

The Family Child Care Program provides care for children from 2 weeks old through 12 years old and for children with special needs.

INFORMATION

Becoming Provider

Provider Incentives

Initial Certification or Annual Renewal

*$300
*Available once every 12 months
*Remain a certified provider for 6 months

Recruit a new FCC Provider

*Certified FCC Provider recruits new Certified FCC Provider
*$500 once new Certified FCC Provider has been certified for 90 days
*Not applicable to an FCC Provider who transfers

Certified FCC Provider Transfer Program

*$1,000
*Certified at old installation, certified within 90 days at new installation
*Available to FCC Providers PCSing from other Services

Certified FCC Provider Household Member Incentive

*Available for household members 2 weeks – 7 years of age
*Eligible household members must be enrolled in FCC Subsidy
*Must have at least 1 non-household member enrolled and attending Full time childcare or a minimum of 30 per week
*Weekly time sheets must be submitted for each eligible household member
*$100 per week for each household member under 2 years of age
*$75 per week for each household member 2-7 years of age

Deployment support

Pre-Deployment Child Care (PDCC) provides child care for children ages 12 and under. Up to 16 hours of care per child is available to those Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve members assigned to an Air Force or Joint Base Air Force led installation prior to deploying for more than 30 days. Care for PDCC is provided in an Air Force Family Child Care (AF FCC) Home participating in the AF FCC Expanded Child Care (ECC) Program. The 16 hours must be used prior to deployment. To request care, the parent must complete the AF FCC ECC Registration and submit it with a copy of their orders or letter from deployment center verifying deployment status to the FCC office. It is required to provide new AF FCC ECC Registration each time to use the PDCC Program. Child care reservations will be made through the FCC Coordinator, once approved by AF.

Deployment Child Care (DCC) provides child care for children ages 12 and under. Up to 16 hours of care per child is available to those Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve members assigned to an Air Force or Joint Base Air Force led installation during each month of the member’s deployment/remote assignment of more than 30 days. Care for DCC is provided in an Air Force Family Child Care (AF FCC) Home participating in the AF FCC Expanded Child Care (ECC) Program. The 16 hours may be used each month during the deployment. To request care, the parent must complete the AF FCC ECC Registration and submit it with a copy of their orders to the FCC office. It is required to provide a new AF FCC ECC Registration each time to use the DCC Program. Child care reservations will be made through the FCC Coordinator, once approved by AF.

Returning Home Care (RHC) provides child care for children ages 12 and under. Up to 16 hours of care per child is available to those Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve members assigned to an Air Force or Joint Base Air Force led installation upon returning to their home station after being deployed (a minimum of 30 calendar days) in support of contingency operations, returning for rest and recuperation or when routinely deploy on a short-term basis (cumulative of 30 days in a six month period) in support of contingency operations. The 16 hours of child care per child per six-month period is available for use in an EDC home and must be used within 60 upon return from the deployment. To request care, the military member must complete the AF FCC ECC Registration and submit it with a copy of their orders to the FCC office. It is required to provide a new AF FCC ECC Registration each time to use the RHC Program. Child care reservations will be made through the FCC Coordinator, once approved by AF.

Care When You Need It

Unlicensed Care

In accordance with AFI 34-144,July 2019,Child and Youth Programs, chapter 12 paragraph12.18. Residents providing unauthorized childcare residing in government owned and privatized housing are notified of the requirements when providing care for more than 10 cumulative hours a week.

Unauthorized care does not include:

Individuals who occasionally provide care for a friend or neighbor less than ten hours per week.
Teens doing evening or weekend baby-sitting for families.
Childcare provided in the parent’s own home.
Parent cooperatives that provide childcare for other parent’s children on an exchange basis and no fees are involved.
Temporary full-time care during a parent’s absence or deployment by the person listed on the AF Form 357,Family Care Plan.

In accordance with Balfour Beatty Communities Resident Guide, page 15, Childcare is permitted in licensed childcare homes only. The childcare provider must be approved per United States Air Force requirements and meet all state and local license requirements. The childcare provider must abide by the United States Air Force requirements regarding number of children, unlicensed care, inspections, and on-going monitoring provisions.

Applications and information on becoming a FCC Provider are available through the FCC Coordinator’s Office.

Moving support

Child Care for Permanent Change of Station – Childcare for PSC is a program through the Airman & Family Readiness Center that provides for up to 20 hours of free childcare per child for families that are leaving or being stationed here at Ellsworth AFB. When the certificate is issued from A&FRC, parents can call any FCC Provider to schedule the childcare. Please inform the Provider you are using PSC care and give her the certificate.

Expanded Child Care Programs

Extended Duty Care can be used for base mission related duty, extended duty days, rapid mobilization, or temporary shift changes, not to exceed 3 working days. Care for EDC is provided in an Air Force Family Child Care (AF FCC) Home participating in the AF FCC Expanded Child Care (ECC) Program. It is required to provide an AF FCC ECC Registration each time to use the EDC Program. Child care reservations will be made through the FCC Coordinator.

ICE Comment Cards

Share your feedback about this facility through the Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) Website.

Give Feedback