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Military Family Access to Quality Family Child Care

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Key Message

In many cases, military family child care providers that are certified through Defense Department procedures must also be licensed or registered by the state, even when only caring for military children. By recognizing military family child care certification, in lieu of requiring state licensing, states can enhance access to child care for military families. States can also support Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood-PLUS, increasing child care access for active-duty, National Guard and reserve families.

Analysis

By providing a provisional license, or by exempting family child care providers from licensure and registration that is duplicative of the certification they receive from the military services, states enhance the quality of life and economic security of both the providers and military families seeking qualified child care options.

Insights

There were 793 certified family child care providers as of September 2023. The military services are seeking to increase the number of providers to help meet the child care demands of military communities.

State Policymakers

If you are a state policymaker, request more information.