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  • MCC System Maintenance

    System maintenance will be conducted on MilitaryChildCare.com (MCC) on 20 April from 1000-1400 ET. During this time, MCC will not be available.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

MilitaryChildCare.com (MCC) is a Department of Defense website for military and DoD-affiliated families seeking child care. MCC provides access to comprehensive information on military-operated and military-subsidized child care options worldwide. With MCC, you can search for and request care or fee assistance, manage your requests, and update your Household Profile - online any time and from anywhere - making it easier for you to find the child care you need.

MCC allows you to:

  • Access information about military and military-subsidized programs. Information about all military-operated child care programs and approved fee assistance programs are available via MCC, including program details that help you make informed child care decisions.
  • Submit and manage your child care requests online, at any time from any location. MCC allows you the flexibility to submit requests for care for any program that meets your care needs. You can request care across Services, remain on the waitlist for a preferred program after being offered care, and review and manage your requests via your MCC Dashboard.
  • Update your Household Profile. To use MCC, you must create and maintain a household profile, which is always accessible. The profile stores basic information such as sponsor name, contact information, sponsor type, and child name and birth date.
  • Receive information about your child care requests. MCC will send you email notifications when you have an offer for care and to help you manage your child care requests.

No. You can explore available child care programs and providers without creating an account. However, to request child care, you must create an account. In addition, when you are logged in to MCC, you can customize your search even further and see if a fee assistance program is available in your area.

Each branch of service issues parent fee guidelines for its Child Development Centers (CDC), School Age Care (SAC) programs, 24/7 Centers, and Family Child Care (FCC) providers based on DoD fee guidance. Fees are based on your Total Family Income (TFI) and apply to all children who attend the program on a regular basis. For more information on fees, please contact the program directly.

The Department of Defense is an excellent employer for child development and youth development professionals, offering a range of career opportunities, outstanding benefits, and a meaningful mission.

Both entry and career-level positions with Department of Defense programs can be found at:

Find out more about career opportunities with military child and youth programs on our Come Grow With Us page.

MCC supports the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, as well as current and previous major releases of Firefox and Safari. Microsoft Edge is recommended for Common Access Card (CAC) users. MCC does not support Internet Explorer.

Read the MCC Browser Policy for more information.

Currently, MilitaryChildCare.com does not offer an app. However, the system does support mobile browsing on a smartphone or tablet.

This is expected when entering a .mil network and you can safely ignore the warning message. MCC is a certified and accredited website that is housed in a secure government data center. Please follow your browser's instructions to access the site or contact the Support Desk at 1.855.696.2934 for assistance. This should be a one-time occurrence for this computer and browser.

To protect your information, DoD requires that MCC passwords have:

  • Between 15 and 20 characters long
  • At least 1 uppercase letter
  • At least 1 lowercase letter
  • At least 1 number
  • At least 1 special character (!@#$%^&*_-)

You must reset your password every 60 days.

If you associate your Common Access Card (CAC) with your MCC account, you will not log in with a username and password.

The MCC password requirements come directly from the DoD Security Technical Information Guide (STIG): Finding V-6130, version APP3320. All applications on the DoD Network (NIPR) are subject to and are enforced by the Navy Authorizing Official (NAO), which accredits MCC. Due to this policy, we are unable to change the password requirements.

We encourage you to change letters or numbers to symbols in a password you have used in the past or associate your Common Access Card (CAC) with your account, so you do not need to log in with a username and password.

Try to reset your password. If you still can’t access your account, contact the Support Desk before creating a new account at 855.696.2934. We can help you access your account and eliminate the possibility of you having two household profiles.

Follow these steps to change your username.

  1. Log in to MCC
  2. Select the arrow next to your name at the top right of the screen.
  3. Select the My Account link.
  4. Select the Change button next to the username. The new username must meet the same requirements as when it was first set up.
  5. Enter your current password to save the new username.

Once saved, you will see an onscreen confirmation message and receive a confirmation email.

Your password expires every 60 days. If you try to log in with an expired password, MCC will prompt you to change your password.

If you would like to change your password before it expires, follow these steps.

  1. Log in to MCC
  2. Select the arrow next to your name at the top right of the screen
  3. Select the My Account link.
  4. Select the Change button next to the password.
  5. Enter and confirm your new password.

Follow these steps to reset your password.

  1. Go to MilitaryChildCare.com
  2. Select the Forgot Password? link on the login screen.
  3. Enter the email associated with your account and the system will send you a reset password email.
  4. Select the link in the body of the email.
  5. Follow the DoD password requirements to reset your password.

Note: The link provided in the email is a one-time use link. We recommend copying and pasting the link into your browser to avoid clicking it more than once.

Once your password has been successfully reset, you will receive a confirmation email.

It can take up to 20 minutes for the email to appear in your inbox. If you do not receive it within this timeframe, please check your Spam or Junk folder. If you are unable to locate the email, please contact the Support Desk at 855.696.2934 or FamilySupport@MilitaryChildCare.com.

To prevent MCC emails from being delivered to your spam folder, add do-not-reply@MilitaryChildCare.com and FamilySupport@MilitaryChildCare.com to your safe senders list.

If the token is no longer valid, you must start the process over by either selecting the "Create Account" link at the top of the page or the Forgot Password link on the login page. The system-generated link (i.e., a token) from the Create Account or Password Reset process is a one-time use link. We recommend copying and pasting the link into your browser to avoid clicking it more than once.

Contact the Support Desk at 855.696.2934 or FamilySupport@MilitaryChildCare.com. We can consolidate your information if you have multiple household profiles. Maintaining one household profile in MCC streamlines the waitlist process and ensures you do not have multiple requests for the same program.

Please be prepared to verify the information associated with each account. Our priority is to keep your information safe, so if we are unable to verify your information, we may ask you to visit a local program so they can verify your identity.

Follow these steps to add a child to your Household Profile.

  1. Log in to your MCC account
  2. Select "My Household Profile"
  3. Scroll down and select Update Child Information
  4. Scroll down and select the Add Another Child button
  5. Enter your child's information
  6. Select Save & Continue at the bottom
  7. Continue through Steps 3, 4, and 5 of your Household Profile to ensure the rest of it is up-to-date

There are a few common reasons why your Household Profile will not allow you to Save & Continue.

  1. Your email address has an apostrophe ( ' ). MCC does not support email addresses that contain an apostrophe. You will need to Create an Account with a different email address.
  2. There is an apostrophe in your name, your spouse's name, or your child(ren)'s name(s) (e.g. O'Connor). MCC does not support apostrophes ( ' ) in name fields. You will need to enter the name without the apostrophe.
  3. There is a pound sign (#) to indicate an apartment number. MCC does not support the pound sign in the address fields. You will need to replace the pound sign with words such as "Unit" or "Apartment."
  4. There is a question mark (?) in the Household Profile. MCC does not support question marks anywhere in the Household Profile. You will need to remove the question mark.

If you are experiencing an issue with your Household Profile that is not listed here, or if you need assistance, please contact the Support Desk at 855.696.2934 or FamilySupport@MilitaryChildCare.com.

To participate in a military child care program, your family must meet the eligibility requirements. The DoD has defined who qualifies as eligible including

  • Active duty military and Coast Guard personnel
  • Guard/Reserve on Active Duty
  • DoD and Coast Guard civilians
  • Gold Star spouses
  • DoD Contractors
  • And others when space is available (other federal employees, military retirees, deactivated guard)

Review the Eligibility and Priority Guidelines page to learn more.

Yes. In your Household Profile, indicate that your spouse is employed. If you receive an offer, your program will work with you to provide the required proof of employment documentation.

24/7 Centers are designed to meet the needs of watch standers or shift workers who work non-traditional, and/or rotating schedules (i.e., weekends, nights, and evenings). While other families may use a 24/7 Center for emergency care, hourly care, or even full-time care if space is available, priority is given to sponsors who meet the eligibility criteria.

If you have questions about program eligibility requirements or would like to learn more about 24/7 Centers at your installation, please contact the program directly.

To qualify as an Active Duty Combat-Related Wounded Warrior (CRWW), you must be in active duty status and require hospitalization, extensive rehabilitation, or significant care from a spouse or care provider, and require full-time child care.

When you select CRWW as your Sponsor Type in your Household Profile, you must confirm that you meet the definition. Before you can receive an offer, CYP staff must obtain approval of your status from the Installation Commander. It's important that you work with the CYP staff to provide any supporting documentation so your offer for care is not delayed.

Child Development Centers (CDC) and School Age Care (SAC) programs are instructed by DoD leadership to supplant, or un-enroll children from care if higher priority families are estimated to wait longer than 45 days for care at the installation. Programs are required to notify families at least 45 days before ending their child care.

At this time, supplanting does not apply to children enrolled in fee assistance or family child care. Supplanting rules are outlined in the Department of Defense Instruction 6060.02.

If your child is supplanted, work with your Child and Youth Program staff to get back on the waitlist. They should submit a request for you and backdate the request for care date to your child’s original start date at the program. This gives you a more favorable placement on the waitlist. The new request must be submitted within 30 days after care ends.

In addition to submitting a request for care for the program where your child was supplanted, you should also request care at other available programs and Family Child Care (FCC) providers to increase your chances of receiving an offer.

You also may be eligible to request MCCYN fee assistance. If available, the MCCYN fee assistance program will display in your search results. For additional information, visit our MCCYN program page.

No. To ensure we match you with programs that meet your specific care needs, you must complete a separate child care search for each of your children. This ensures search results are based on your child's age, child-specific needs, and family preferences.

When adding your child to your Household Profile, enter their projected date of birth or adoption date. You can then search for and request care for your child if you select a date care needed (DCN) that is after their birth date.

If your child's name is also uncertain, simply enter a temporary name (e.g., Baby Smith).

After the birth or adoption, update their birth date and name in your Household Profile. If you requested care, review your requests, and update the DCN, if needed. Having the correct information in MCC helps us tailor communication and ensures programs have the correct information when they make an offer.

You should search for and request care as soon as you know where you will be stationed and your anticipated arrival date, even before orders are issued.

  • If you have a school age child, you can request care before you know which school they will attend, and then update the request once you know their school.
  • If your arrival date changes, you can update your request on your "My Child Care" page.
  • Once you move, update your work location and home address in your Household Profile.

Yes, you can request care without providing your child's school information. When prompted to provide information about your child's school, indicate that you do not know the school your child will be attending. The system will default the search to indicate you do not need transportation. You can update the request once you know your child's school.

Once you know your child's school, log in to MCC account, select "My Child Care" from the top menu, and add the school's name to the request. You must provide your child's school information before you can receive an offer for care.

Contact your local school liaison for assistance with your pre-K-12 school needs, including transition support to help you select your child's new school and explore before- and after-school care programs at your new installation. Your school liaison can also connect you to the Exceptional Family Member Program and help you navigate your new school district's special education program.

To request hourly care at your preferred program, please contact the program directly. Hourly care is offered to eligible families on a first-come, first-served basis, and is not managed through MCC.

Various factors may impact your search results. For example, your search parameters may be too narrow (e.g., hours of care or location radius). If you have adjusted your search parameters and no results appear, please contact the Support Desk for assistance at FamilySupport@MilitaryChildCare.com or at 855.696.2934.

If you discover unlicensed child care on your installation, notify any of the following installation offices: installation commander, child and youth services, military police, or housing. For more information and additional resources, refer to this article on How to Find Affordable, Quality and Licensed Child Care for instructions on reporting unlicensed care.

You can view all your child care requests any time on your "My Child Care" page. To access this page, select Family Login at the top of the page, log in, and select "My Child Care" from the top menu. From here you can view all your requests and take actions such as updating your date care needed (DCN), reconfirming your requests, and canceling any requests you no longer need.

DoD assigns you a priority based on your sponsor type and spouse’s employment status. Your family's priority, together with your request for care date, determines your position on each waitlist. Because each program waitlist is dynamic, program staff and MCC are not able to provide you with a number on a list.

Your child's place on the waitlist may change, so rather than provide you with a number on a list, MilitaryChildCare.com provides you with an Anticipated Placement Time (APT). The APT is an estimate of how long you might wait for a space at a child care program. To view your APT for a given request, visit your "My Child Care" page.

Note: APT is calculated for full-day and 24/7 care and may change over time.

To learn more about APT, watch the Understanding APT video.

MCC calculates an Anticipated Placement Time (APT) for full-day and 24/7 care at CDCs, 24/7 Centers, and the FCC Program. The APT provides an estimate of how long you may wait for care at a given program. Although APT is not a guarantee of when you will receive an offer, it gives you a general idea of how long you may wait for one.

When searching for full-day or 24/7 care, you can view the APT for each CDC, 24/7 Center, and the FCC Program in the search results.

Once you place a request, monitor the APT associated with each request on your "My Child Care" page.

You will receive email notifications to alert you when you need to take action on your requests. Most actions – like responding to an offer – are time sensitive, so it is important that the email in your Household Profile is one you check regularly. Additionally, you’ll see alerts in the "Time Sensitive Actions" section of your MCC Dashboard and see the information about your requests on your "My Child Care" page.

You must reconfirm your requests to keep the requests you need and remove requests you no longer need. When it is time to reconfirm, you will receive an email and see a reminder in the "Time Sensitive Actions" section of your MCC Dashboard. After the initial notice, you will receive two warnings, five calendar days apart, and then a final warning after an additional five calendar days. If you do not reconfirm the requests, they will be canceled.

If you receive an offer, you must reconfirm any requests for the same child and care type within two business days or those requests will be canceled.

You must reconfirm your interest in each request to keep it active. There are three instances when you must reconfirm your requests.

  1. If you receive an offer for care.
  2. If you requested care more than 60 days before you need care, you must reconfirm 45 days before your date care needed.
  3. If your date care needed has passed, you’ll be asked to reconfirm every 60 days.

If you receive an offer, you must reconfirm any requests for the same child and care type within two business days or those requests will be canceled.

For the other cases, you’ll receive an email and a reminder in the "Time Sensitive Actions" section of your MCC Dashboard. After the initial notice, you will receive two warnings, five calendar days apart, and then a final warning after an additional five calendar days. If you do not reconfirm the requests, they will be canceled.

Log in to MilitaryChildCare.com, access your "My Child Care" page, click "Update DCN" for a request, and use the calendar feature to update your date care needed.

If you have not received an offer for care, we encourage you to conduct an additional search and select other programs or FCC providers that may be available.

If you are eligible and it's available in your search area, you may also request fee assistance through the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN) program. DoD provides fee assistance to cover some of the cost of community-based care for eligible families who are unable to access military child care because of long waitlists or distance. Visit the MCCYN page for more information about the program.

The response timeline is the same for all offers made in MCC. When you receive an offer, you have 2 business days (not including weekends or Federal holidays) to respond to the offer in MCC. Your offer email includes when the offer expires.

Offers for a military program will be for a specific child care program or family child care provider. If you accept the offer, you will receive a confirmation email that includes the steps in the enrollment process and the program's contact information.

Offers for MCCYN are for fee assistance and NOT for a specific community-based provider (e.g., KinderCare). You are responsible for choosing your community-based provider. You can access a current list of participating providers from your MCCYN request on your "My Child Care" page. If you already have a provider, but they have not applied to participate in MCCYN, work with them to apply. For provider requirements, review your Service's MCCYN page. If you accept an offer for fee assistance, your confirmation email will outline the next steps in the process.

Yes. You can enroll in one program and keep additional requests for care active at other programs. This allows you to continue to wait for care at one or more programs you may prefer. When care becomes available at your preferred program, you may receive an offer even if your child is enrolled in another program.

If you decide later that you do not want to stay on the other waitlists, simply cancel the requests. Log in to MCC, go to your "My Child Care" page, and cancel the requests you no longer want.

The goal of MilitaryChildCare.com is to ensure you have the care you need when you need it. To do that, you may receive an offer from a program or FCC provider that offers the same type of care you requested and is in the same area where you requested care.

If you receive an offer, regardless of your response (accept, decline, or no response), you must reconfirm any other requests for the same child and care type within two business days or those requests will be canceled. If you decline an offer, you may stay on the waitlist for other programs, but you will not be able to supplant a lower-priority family regardless of your family's priority.

Note: This is the same whether you receive an offer from a program you requested or from an alternative viable option.

If you do not respond to an offer within two business days, the offer is removed and the request canceled. Under certain circumstances, we may be authorized to reactivate your request with your original request for care date. To be considered, contact your program office if your request was for a military-operated program or provider. For fee assistance requests, refer to the Contact Us page for the correct email address. Include any relevant information about your situation that should be considered when determining if your request should be reactivated.

APT is an estimate of how long you can expect to wait for a child care space in the requested program. APT is not a guaranteed placement time and may be adjusted because of changes to the request, your family type, or the requested program.

Note: APT is available for full-day and 24/7 care types. Find out more in the Understanding APT video.

You can view a program’s APT on the search results page prior to placing a request. Once requests are made, you can view the APT for each request on your "My Child Care" page.

Note: APT is available for full-day and 24/7 care types. Find out more in the Understanding APT video.

Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood, or MCCYN, provides fee assistance to offset the cost of community-based care for eligible families who cannot access military-based care due to distance or waitlists. For more information about the program, visit the MCCYN page.

Note: MCCYN is not an entitlement program and is subject to the availability of funds.

To request fee assistance for your child(ren), you must have an account and Household Profile in MCC. Once your Household Profile is complete, select "Find Care" to search for and request care. If available, an MCCYN fee assistance program is included in your search results.

When funding becomes available, you will receive an offer for your child through MCC. If you accept the offer, you will receive instructions on how to complete your MCCYN registration.

You may receive fee assistance to help cover a portion of the cost of full-day care, part-day care, before/after school, and summer camp.

Yes. In your Household Profile, indicate that your spouse is seeking employment. You may receive fee assistance for a one-time 90 day period to give your spouse time to find employment. You must then provide the required employment documents to support continued enrollment.

Fee assistance does not transfer to your new location. If you would like to receive fee assistance at your new location, you are encouraged to search for and request military-operated care and/or fee assistance (if available) via MilitaryChildCare.com as soon as you know your next assignment.

No. If you did not complete your registration within the required 5-day deadline and your registration was canceled, then you must request fee assistance again through MilitaryChildCare.com.

If MCCYN is not authorized at your location, an exception may be authorized in some limited circumstances. In order to consider an exception request, you must provide details describing how the child care available on the local installation will not meet your family's need for child care. You must email your request and relevant details to FamilySupport@MilitaryChildCare.com. Once received, your request will be reviewed and routed, if appropriate, for a decision.

DoD-Funded MCCYN Programs

The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) sets the Provider Cap for all DoD-funded MCCYN fee assistance programs. OSD reviews the Provider Cap, fee categories, and parent fees annually and updates accordingly. Any change to the fee assistance amount, including the Provider Cap, will be communicated to families.

Coast Guard MCCYN

The U.S. Coast Guard Commandant sets the Provider Cap for all CG-funded MCCYN fee assistance programs. CG-1112 Child Development Services reviews the Provider Cap, fee categories, and parent fees and updates accordingly. Any change to the fee assistance amount, including the Provider Cap, will be communicated to families.

You may access the most current list of MCCYN providers when searching for care by selecting the MCCYN Provider link under the MCCYN program profile or, if you've requested fee assistance, by accessing your MCCYN request on your "My Child Care" page.

If there are no providers listed in your area, or your desired provider is not listed, you may choose your own provider. All providers must meet the eligibility requirements, apply, and be approved to participate. For information on provider requirements and a provider application visit your Service's MCCYN page.

Your MCCYN program administrator may be able to provide enhanced referral support. Refer to the Contact Us page for their information.

Agencies that accredit child care programs may allow you to search for providers accredited by them. Visit the Quality Standards for MCCYN section for a list of accrediting agencies that you may access.

You may also visit your state's child care licensing office website or your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) organization for assistance finding child care in your area.

The Military Child Care Act of 1989 requires that community-based providers comply with DoD requirements to participate. This means the provider is licensed to provide child care services under applicable State and local law and accredited by one of the DoD-recognized accrediting organizations or participating in MCCYN PLUS. In some cases, an exception may be granted to enroll with a licensed provider if accredited   or MCCYN PLUS providers are not available in your area. If you receive an offer for fee assistance, you will work with your program administrator to see if your provider can participate. Child care providers that are license-exempt are unable to receive DoD-funded fee assistance.

For more information on provider requirements, visit our MCCYN page.

No. Babysitters, au pairs, nannies, tutors, teachers, relatives, or other in-home child care providers cannot participate in MCCYN unless they meet the MCCYN provider requirements.

Note: MCCYN does not offer fee assistance for child care provided in your family's home. Review the Child Care in Your Home page for more information on receiving fee assistance for in-home child care.

No, a provider with multiple locations must submit an application and be approved for each location to participate in the MCCYN fee assistance program.

If you are receiving fee assistance and want to change your child care provider, you must submit a completed and signed provider information form. The provider must meet the minimum program requirements to participate in MCCYN. Refer to the MCCYN page for details.

If your provider's rate changes, you must report the change to your program administrator. Review the Contact Us page to get the appropriate email address based on who administers your MCCYN program.

The required documents depend on your sponsor type and spouse status if you're married. You will submit supporting documentation once you receive an offer as part of the program registration process. Your documents will be reviewed to determine if you are eligible for MCCYN and whether your family type is correct in MCC. It's important that you keep your household information current because if your sponsor or spouse details are incorrect in MCC, your offer for fee assistance may be removed and you may have to wait for another offer.

For your specific requirements, visit our MCCYN page.

No. Complete your registration and upload your supporting documents once you've accepted your offer, even if your provider has not been approved yet.

Note: If your selected provider does not meet the program requirements or does not submit a completed application in a timely manner, you may need to select a different provider if you wish to receive fee assistance. You may enroll with a provider at any time. However, you are not eligible for fee assistance until you and your provider are approved for the MCCYN program.

No. You must request MCCYN for each child who needs fee assistance via MilitaryChildCare.com.

Yes, contact your MCCYN program administrator to update your spouse's status as this may change your eligibility to remain in the program. Depending on your spouse's status, your registration may change to a 90-day eligibility.

The registration period is the period of time a family is approved for MCCYN. You will be informed of your fee assistance start and end date if you are determined eligible.

Yes, you will receive a renewal reminder email before your registration ends.

No. MCCYN is a federally funded fee assistance program. Child Care Aware of America is the third-party administrator for the Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps MCCYN programs. The Navy and Coast Guard MCCYN fee assistance programs are administered by the Navy Child and Youth Program.

No. The CCYH program is a DoD initiative administered by Child Care Aware of America that provides fee assistance to eligible military families for full-time, in-home child care providers and nannies. Review the Child Care in Your Home page for more information.

No. MCCYN does not provide fee assistance for school tuition. The program is only permitted to help cover child care costs.

Once your child is age-eligible for kindergarten, you can receive benefits for school age care only. If a private, charter, or public school offers before/after school or summer care and is an approved MCCYN provider, then fee assistance can be provided.

A pilot initiative will be effective on 1 April 2024 to provide a meal allowance to DoD families who receive full-time care from the MCCYN program. The benefit will help families offset the cost of meals when the cost isn’t included in the provider’s rate, or when the cost is included in the provider’s rate, but the provider’s rate exceeds the monthly rate cap of $1,800. For information, visit your Service’s MCCYN page.

All DoD service members and civilians are eligible for the meal allowance if your child is enrolled with MCCYN at the full-time rate AND one of the following scenarios is true for your family:

  • Scenario 1: Lunch or infant formula (for children under the age of 1 year old) isn’t included as part of the provider fee.
  • Scenario 2: Your provider fee is more than $1,800 monthly AND lunch or formula is included in your child’s provider rate. 

No, your child must receive full-time care.

Yes, the meal allowance applies to each child who meets the eligibility requirements.

If you work as an independent contractor, are a partner in a business, or own a business, then you are considered self-employed. Self-employment is defined as directly engaging in an income producing trade or business for the purpose of making a living as your occupation.

Visit the CCAoA Army Fee Assistance Policy Update page for more information.

The number of hours required depends on the type of program your spouse attends.

Program Full Day Care Part Day Care
Graduate Program* 9+ credit hours 3-8 credit hours
Undergraduate Program* 12+ credit hours 6-11 credit hours
Other post-secondary institutions 25+ clock hours per week 16-24 clock hours per week

 

 

 

 

 

*Traditional 15-week school schedule

If your spouse is enrolled in a program that does not have a traditional school schedule or is in an accelerated program, contact CCAoA for more details.

Note: You are not considered a student spouse if you are enrolled in a self-paced program.

Yes, if you live within 15 miles or 20 minutes of an Army installation, you must complete and submit the Statement of Non-Availability with your fee assistance application packet. The form verifies that the CYP Parent and Outreach Office has confirmed that child care options on-post are unavailable within 45 days of the date care is needed.

Note: Families do not have to provide a Statement of Non-Availability if they live further than 15 miles or 20 minutes from an Army installation that offers on-post child care.

No, families are not required to maintain requests for military-operated care, if available, to maintain MCCYN eligibility. You are allowed to maintain your request for MCCYN even if you decline an offer for military child care.

As a sponsor, if you meet the MCCYN eligibility requirements and have a 100% disabled spouse who is unable to work or provide custodial care for your children, you may be eligible for Navy MCCYN fee assistance. Contact the Navy MCCYN program administrator to request an exception to policy. Refer to the Contact Us page for the correct email address.

If you request an exception, you must provide documentation from a medical provider that (1) the spouse is 100% disabled and unable to work and (2) indicates child care is needed because the spouse is unable to provide care on their own for their child(ren) at home. After you submit the documentation, we will send it to the MCCYN Navy Representative for review and approval.

You must indicate your spouse is non-working in your Household Profile. If you wish to be considered for an exception for military-operated care, you must contact your local command.

Families will not receive the fee assistance payment. Rather, the benefit is paid directly to your provider, and you will receive a credit from them.

When you and your provider have been approved, you will receive a Fee Assistance Benefit Form. Each month, you will complete and submit the form to claimsupport.fct@navy.mil. You must submit the form within 60 days of the end of the month. If you are late, we will not process the request and you will be responsible for paying the provider.

The Claim Support team will review the form.

  • If there are no discrepancies, you and your provider will receive a payment notification.
  • If there are discrepancies, you will receive an email requesting corrections.

Once the form is processed, the payment is issued.

  • Electronic (EFT) payments should be received within 5-7 business days of the payment notification. All EFT payments are labeled CNI MLLNGTN DET.
  • Paper checks can take up to 2 weeks or more depending on the USPS delivery.

If payment is not received within 30 days of the payment notification, please notify claimsupport.fct@navy.mil.

For more information on completing and submitting the Benefit Form, review the MCCYN Benefit Form Tip Sheet.

The Navy Child and Youth Program administers the program on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard.

No, if your spouse is in a different branch of service and your child is listed on his/her BAH, you should apply to their Service's MCCYN program. Visit the MCCYN information page for more information on the other MCCYN programs.

Dependent children from 6 weeks to 12 years old/6th grade enrolled in a participating USCG MCCYN provider may receive fee assistance.

No, USCG MCCYN does provide fee assistance benefits due to a PCS move. This type of care is classified as hourly care and does not qualify.

The USCG Mutual Assistance Program does offer assistance for child care during a PCS move. Visit the Mutual Assistance website and click or tap PCS Child Care Reimbursement for information.

The BAH/Dependency Data sheet (formerly the CG-4170) is in the USCG pay portal. You should download it from the pay portal and upload it to your MCCYN registration when completing or renewing your registration.

We do not have a Power of Attorney form to use when requesting the spouse to sign the benefit claim form. However, you can use proof of upcoming deployment, including dates of deployment and a statement from the sponsor requesting the spouse sign benefit forms on their behalf during the deployment.

The effective date of a benefit is the date you are eligible to receive fee assistance. It is based on the date you received an offer for fee assistance. However, if you do not choose a participating provider, your effective date may change if your selected provider does not submit a completed application.

You should notify the program administrator of a change in rank during your annual renewal or when you PCS.

Your parent fee is based on your current rank and whether your child’s care is full-time [more than 30 hours per week] or part-time [11 - 30 hours per week].

Your fee assistance amount is calculated by subtracting your parent fee from the provider fee or provider contribution cap, whichever is less.

No. Your spouse’s employment type [full time vs. part time] does not change your benefit amount.

The contribution cap is the maximum monthly cost allowable based on your duty station zip code. High cost locations are determined by the USCG, and program fees are capped depending on whether you live in a high cost or basic locality area.

It depends. When you start receiving fee assistance benefits is based on the month you received an offer for fee assistance. If your child started care the same month you received an offer, you may receive fee assistance benefits for the month. Check with the Fee Assistance team for your specific situation.

We calculate benefits by multiplying your weekly rate by 4.33 to get an average monthly fee. This takes into consideration months that have five weeks.

No, the fee assistance benefit is not paid in advance. It is set up as a reimbursement to your provider after you pay your monthly fees.

No, USCG MCCYN does not pay for registration or enrollment fees.

Families will not receive the fee assistance payment. Rather, the benefit is paid directly to your provider, and you will receive a credit from them.

When you and your provider have been approved, you will receive a Fee Assistance Benefit Form. Each month, you will complete and submit the form to claimsupport.fct@navy.mil. You must submit the form within 60 days of the end of the month. If you are late, we will not process the request and you will be responsible for paying the provider.

The Claim Support team will review the form.

  • If there are no discrepancies, you and your provider will receive a payment notification.
  • If there are discrepancies, you will receive an email requesting corrections.

Once the form is processed, the payment is issued.

  • Electronic (EFT) payments should be received within 5-7 business days of the payment notification. All EFT payments are labeled CNI MLLNGTN DET.
  • Paper checks can take up to 2 weeks or more depending on the USPS delivery.

If payment is not received within 30 days of the payment notification, please notify claimsupport.fct@navy.mil.

For more information on completing and submitting the Benefit Form, review the MCCYN Benefit Form Tip Sheet.

Yes, your provider must apply and be approved to participate in USCG MCCYN. At a minimum, they must be state licensed in good standing, or have a religious exemption certificate from their state. Requirements are detailed in the MCCYN Fee Assistance Provider Application.

Yes. Child Care Aware of America does not administer the USCG MCCYN program, so your provider will need to apply to participate in the USCG MCCYN program. For information about provider requirements and an application, review the Provider Information section of the USCG MCCYN page. You may contact providersupport.fct@navy.mil if you have specific questions concerning your provider.

Yes. DoD is piloting a program, Child Care in Your Home (CCYH), for families who have determined that full-time, in-home child care is the best solution to meet their needs. The pilot offers fee assistance to help families cover part of the cost of hiring someone to care for their child in their own home. In-home care providers must commit to participating in background checks, training, and oversight. For more information, visit our Child Care in Your Home page.

The DoD selected the following locations with the greatest demand for child care and long waiting lists: Colorado Springs, CO; Fayetteville, NC; Fort Walton Beach, FL; Hawaii; Jacksonville/Mayport, FL; Las Vegas, NV; National Capital Region; Norfolk, VA; San Antonio, TX; San Diego, CA; and Seattle/Tacoma, WA.

Military families currently on the MilitaryChildCare.com waitlist or requesting child care via MilitaryChildCare.com in the selected regions are eligible to participate in the pilot. Space in the program is limited.

Eligible military families in these regions include:

  • Single or dual active-duty members
  • Single or dual Guard or reserve members on active duty
  • Active duty members with a full-time working spouse
  • Guard or reserve members on active duty with a full-time working spouse
  • Active-duty members with a spouse enrolled in a postsecondary institution on a full-time basis
  • Guard or reserve members on active duty with a spouse enrolled in a postsecondary institution on a full-time basis

Once you have requested the Child Care in Your Home Pilot through MilitaryChildCare.com, a program administrator will review your information and contact you about your request. Offers for fee assistance will be made in sequential order based on the sponsor's priority and the date the family requested In-Home Child Care. While you are waiting, visit the Military OneSource expanded child care services website to search for an approved in-home provider. This free, nationally recognized subscription service enables military families to search for care based on specific needs, find potential care providers, check references, and review background checks. A Military OneSource account is all you need to get started. Reach out to Military OneSource tax consultants if you have questions about the tax implications of employing a provider.

CCYH providers must meet the following requirements:

  • Be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident
  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
  • Have the ability to read, speak, and write English
  • Comply with applicable employment laws, to include income tax regulations
  • CCYH Providers may be family members

Definitions:

Legal Permanent Resident who is a foreign-born person residing in the United States but not yet an U.S. citizen, who may permanently live and work in the United States, may be hired as an in-home child care provider when this individual obtains a Green Card, or meets the substantial presence test for the calendar year. These lawful legal permanent residents are entitled to limited rights and benefits as compared to U.S. citizens. The sponsor who hires an individual with a green card must ensure they are following all employment laws. The rules for filing income tax returns and paying estimated tax are generally the same for legal permanent resident as they are for U.S. citizens. The worldwide income of a legal permanent resident is subject to U.S. income tax the same way as a U.S. citizen. If, at the end of the year, a legal permanent resident is married to a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident and files a married filing jointly tax return, the legal permanent resident may be treated as a U.S. resident for tax purposes. For more information on how to make this election, see https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nonresident-spouse. 

Family Members may be hired as a CCYH provider. A family member is defined as a person who is related to each child by blood, marriage, or adoption such as: an aunt, uncle, grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great grandparent, first cousin, niece, nephew, grandniece, grandnephew, great aunt, or great uncle or an older sibling who is at least 18 years of age.

  • A family member who serves as the CCYH provider may not be the parent, step-parent, or legal guardian of the child or children in care.
  • Sponsors, spouses, and legal guardians may not serve as the CCYH provider for their child.
  • All providers, even those pre-selected by or related to the family, must complete all training and background check requirements.
  • Family members who are hired to care for children may not live with or be financially dependent on the family where the care is provided.
  • Family members serving as CCYH providers may not care for their own children in the service members home where child care is provided.
  • Provider rates must be inclusive of child care services only and may not include housekeeping related duties outside of what is necessary for child care.

No. You are responsible for finding your own in-home care provider. However, you may use the expanded child care service available through Military OneSource to search for in-home providers. This free, nationally recognized subscription service enables military families to search for care based on specific needs, find potential care providers, check references and review background checks. A Military OneSource account is all you need to get started.

Also, reach out to Military OneSource tax consultants if you have questions about the tax implications of employing a provider.

Contact your local chain of command for your local WDCC POC contact information. If you cannot identify your local WDCC POC, email NRFWDCC@MilitaryChildCare.com for assistance.

Your local WDCC POC will let you know what supporting documentation you must provide. Supporting documentation may include your spouse’s work or school schedule, spouse’s drill weekend schedule, or documentation of spouse’s deployment.

If your offer expired, please place a new request.

Once you enroll with a child care provider, you will complete any enrollment documents required by the provider. This typically includes, at minimum, a parent-provider contract, immunization information, information on any identified needs, and emergency contact information.

Each child care provider sets their own policies around reservation deadlines, cancellation requirements, and no-show fees. This information should be provided to you by your child care provider upon enrollment.

You must pay for any child care that exceeds the authorized 24 hours subsidized by the WDCC Pilot program. The payment amount will be based on any private pay agreement you have with your provider and is subject to provider availability.

No. Requests to participate in the WDCC Pilot are separate from any requests for care on a military installation or for the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN) program. For more information about eligibility for these programs, review the Eligibility and Priority Guidelines.

A DCFSA is a pre-tax benefit account. Eligible Service members and DoD civilians may set aside up to $5,000 per year of pre-tax income to pay for dependent care expenses ($2,500 if married and filing separate tax returns).

If you are eligible, you decide how much you want to contribute to your DCFSA account based on your child or adult care expenses. You’ll then enroll in the DCFSA.

Your funds are automatically deducted from your paycheck and deposited into your DCFSA account before taxes are deducted.

As soon as your account is funded, you can use the funds to pay for eligible dependent care expenses. You can choose to be reimbursed or to have the dependent care provider paid directly. Each claim must be for an eligible dependent care expense and validated with a receipt.

To learn more about Dependent Care FSA, including when you can access your contributions and how to check your account balance, review the Frequently Asked Questions on the FSAFEDS website.

Service members and DoD civilian employees interested in the benefit can speak with a tax consultant or financial advisor before enrolling, to help them make an informed decision based on their unique circumstances. DoD provides free tax consultants and financial counselors through Military OneSource and FINRED. Additionally, financial counselors are available on most military installations worldwide. Call 1-800-342-9647 to connect with a financial or tax consultant.

Visit Military OneSource, FINRED, or FSAFEDS for more information.