U.S. ARMY CHILD CARE

U.S. Army Child Care Home Page

The United States Army and the General Services Administration partnered in 2002 to provide accredited, quality, affordable child care for U.S. Army sponsors. This agreement includes Active Duty soldiers, activated U.S. Army Reserve, activated U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers, and U.S. Army Department of Defense civilian employees. The Program was created to assist qualifying personnel, who use a Federal Child Care Center, by providing financial assistance for their child care.

U.S. Army/Military Child Care Programs provide support for U.S. Army Families who have children from birth through 12 years of age and are geographically-dispersed and cannot access child care on an Installation. Eligibility includes the following categories of U.S. Army Soldiers and Civilians:

1. Single Parents
2. Sponsors who are married, or single sponsors with a partner who is working, attending school, or looking for work and need child care a minimum of 16 hours per week
1. Spouse/partners must be employed an average of 16 hours per week or enrolled in school for at least three (3) graduate credit hours or six (6) undergraduate hours or a combination of the two
2. Spouse/partners may have up to 90 days to seek employment or become enrolled in school
3. Sponsors assigned to a Warriors in Transition Unit or Brigade (WTU/WTB) and have a non-medical attendant who needs child care due to medical appointments and/or therapy
4. Families of Soldiers deceased while on active duty on or after September 11, 2011
5. Sponsors who have a spouse/partner with medically documented needs. Cases will be reviewed and considered on a case by case basis

Qualifying sponsors are able to use any Federal Child Care Center and will be eligible for child rates comparable to those charged as if they were receiving care at a military child care facility. The benefit is nontaxable to the sponsors and is paid directly to the child care facility on behalf of the qualifying sponsors. Sponsors who use the benefit while in an Active Duty Status are eligible to continue to receive the benefit for an additional 90 days upon return from Active Duty.