JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
U.S. Service members can now use a new Defense Department website for easier child care search and registration, as of June 2015.
The DoD site, www.militarychildcare.com, aims toward making the search for child care services simpler for U.S. Service members and other members of the military community. The initiative began as a pilot project in 2013 and is expected to be fully functional worldwide by September 2016.
"[The website] allows the customer to manage their own request for care," said Sheila Robinson, Airmen and Readiness Services chief. "The system alerts them at 60 day intervals when they need to recheck their request making sure it's still valid."
The program features strict oversight and care options to assess quality and compliance within DoD regulations and policies, as stated on the Military Child Care website.
The services offered include full day, part day, school age care and hourly care as well as accommodations for families with special needs children.
"[The site gives members] the opportunity to make decisions about their care," said Robinson. "If they want to use the Child Development Center, if they want to use Family Child Care, all of those are listed. Each individual provider and their information is listed on the site."
Robinson said the website's biggest benefit is it enables Service members preparing for a permanent change of station to review services available in the new military community before moving.
Upon requesting care, the member will receive an estimated placement time. If military families cannot access on-installation child care due to circumstances out of their control, they should contact Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood for fee assistance eligibility requirements. For additional information about MCCYN care options, visit www.childcareaware.org.
"Service members need to have a peace of mind that their children are in quality child care and that it's affordable and that's what this site provides," said Robinson.
For more information, visit www.militarychildcare.com or contact the Langley Air Force Base child development center at (757) 764-3585 or the Fort Eustis centers at (757) 878-4723 or (757) 878-3294.