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State Exemption for DOD Family Child Care Homes

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Key Message

In many cases, in-home child care providers who live off a military installation must be licensed by both the state and the Defense Department, even when only caring for eligible DOD-affiliated children. By exempting in-home child care providers certified by the DOD from state licensure requirements, states can improve access to family child care for military families.

Analysis

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 858 certified family child care providers as of December 2024. 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.