WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --
Airmen know the importance of keeping the country safe, but it is just as important to ensure the safety of their family members.
The Family Child Care Program offers many child care options for members of Team Whiteman. While many Airmen know of services provided through the Child Development Center, School Age Care and the Youth Center, another child care option is family child care providers.
According to MilitaryChildCare.com, family child care providers are authorized to provide child care from infants to school age children in their homes, located either on or off of an installation. Family child care providers typically offer a flexible schedule to support parents with a variety of care needs, including full-day, part-day care, school year care, summer camp, and in some cases, 24/7 and extended care.
Unauthorized child care is defined as providing child care, with no DoD oversight, in government owned and privatized housing for more than ten cumulative hours per week.
“If families are paying you to watch children in your home and the number of hours total for all children is more than ten, then it would be considered unauthorized care,” said Christopher Nordvall, 509th Force Support Squadron community child care coordinator. “This does not include teens doing evening or weekend babysitting for families, child care that is provided in the child’s own home, or parent cooperatives where child care services are exchanged between families and no fees are involved.”
The ultimate consequence for unauthorized care is a family losing their on-base housing privileges. Apart from being against Air Force Instruction 34-144, Child and Youth Programs, unauthorized child care can be dangerous.
When looking for FCC providers, families should use authorized providers who are certified and accredited through Military Child Care.
“Authorized FCC homes are subject to health, safety, and fire inspections before and during a home’s operations,” said Nordvall. “FCC providers are also subject to local, state, and federal background checks. They are certified in CPR and First Aid and have to practice fire drills on a monthly basis.”
The Family Child Care office can assist families in their overall search for programs and services that meet the child care needs of their family.
“If someone wants to become a provider, my advice would be to schedule a time to come in and sit down with Mr. Nordvall,” said Misty Azzaro, 509th FSS training and curriculum specialist. “This way people can see the bigger picture and get to know how the process works.”
Being a FCC provider is a team effort and provides a much needed service. The Family Child Care program, as a part of the overall Child and Youth Program team provides a mission-critical service to the Whiteman AFB community.
“These programs are important because it allows DOD military and civilian personnel to fulfill their mission,” said Azzaro. “Parents need to know their kids are safe and being well taken care of and without quality FCC providers, parents cannot go to work without the distraction of being concerned for their children.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has added extra concern for families in need of child care. The Child Development Center, School Age Care and the Youth Center were operating at reduced capacity for the last few months due to safety considerations.
“Those programs are slowly increasing their operating capacity and continue to accommodate more and more families,” said Nordvall. “With families still on the waitlist for child care, FCC provides a critical service for those service members who need care. This can only be achieved however if we have enough providers.”
For more information about FCC or for spouses both on and off base who want to become authorized child care providers call the FCC office at 660-687-5590 or email christopher.nordvall@us.af.mil.
To submit requests for child care, whether program-based or home-based visit https://public.militarychildcare.csd.disa.mil/mccu/ui/#/.