FCC Program Overview
The Family Child Care (FCC) program is an integral part of the Child and Youth Services (CYS) child care system available on Army garrisons. FCC provides quality home-based care for children 4 weeks to 12 years old and is offered in government-owned and government leased housing located on post.
FCC has unique qualities that make it a preferred choice for many families. It offers flexible hours: full day, part day, extended /overnight, weekend, and hourly care in a comfortable home setting. FCC also offers a 15% cost savings compared to Child Development Centers and School Age Care fees
FCC Providers are vetted and only the best-qualified candidates are recommended for certification. Providers must complete background checks and regular home inspections as a part of the certification. They also receive paid ongoing training for professional development.
Army policy requires that anyone providing care on a regular basis for more than 10 hours per week, must be certified through Child and Youth Services as an FCC provider.
Providing unauthorized child care in government-owned/leased housing puts you at risk of losing your housing privileges. Unauthorized child care by an uncertified person puts your child at risk.
For more information on how to register your children in the FCC Program visit MCC.COM MilitaryChildCare.com
Important Info
- A retention bonus of up to $1,000 will be offered to providers who relocate their home business to their next installation and a recruitment bonus of up to $1000 will be offered to those who successfully open their homes for the first time.
- Childcare is available during daytime initial training to help you get started.
Why choose FCC?
All the Comforts of Home
Quality, Availability, Affordability, and Accountability
• Multi-age care, so siblings can stay together
• 15% lower cost than facility-based care
• Options for hourly, evening, weekend & flexible care
• Weekly home monitoring & oversight
• Offers developmentally appropriate curriculum
• Unannounced inspections to ensure a safe, healthy environment for your children
• Providers receive ongoing training and professional development
FCC is Your Child’s Home Away from Home.
Become a Family Child Care Provider
Are you interested in running your own childcare business? Are you creative, energetic, and do you love working with children?
Own Your Own Business & Make a Difference by Providing Quality & Affordable Child Care
Benefits:
• Expedited background check clearance process
• Paid training
• Opportunities to increase your salary with training & education
• Business that moves when you move
• Stay at home with your children & earn a salary at the same time
A career in Family Child Care awaits you!
How can I become a certified FCC provider?
To become a certified FCC provider, you must complete a local background check; agree to have inspections conducted by the Fire, Safety, and Preventive Medicine Offices; as well as attend a minimum of 38 hours of training. The training includes child abuse identification and prevention, first aid, and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training.
1. Complete FCC Application (DA Form 5219). Submit an application to the local FCC office for processing.
2. Family Interview-conducted in the home of the applicant. All family members should be present for the interview.
3. Background checks-Investigations are completed on the applicant, military sponsor, and children or any bonafide resident in the home 12 years of age and older.
4. Orientation Training- Minimum one week.
5. Home Inspections- Fire, Safety, Health, and Sanitation proponents.
6. Provisional Certification! Open for Business!
It’s Ok to Be Neighborly
An explanation of the Family Child Care ten-hour rule
1. At Child and Youth Services, we provide safe child care for military Families – at Child Development Centers, and in Family Child Care (FCC) settings, where certified providers offer child care in their on-post homes.
2. The Army has a responsibility to balance the ability of families to rely on one another to meet their short term child care needs with protecting the safety and well-being of children.
3. It is not — and never has been — the intent of CYS to eliminate such “good neighbor” favors.
4. There is a difference between caring for children a few hours a week and providing child care services on a regular basis.
Know the Rules
A 10-hour child care limit has been established by the Department of the Army to protect children from being in unregulated child care settings on a regular basis.
This means any family member living in government quarters providing child care for more than 10 child care hours per week on a regular basis must be certified as a Family Child Care provider.
“10 Child Care Hours means 1 child for 10 hours per week, 2 children for 5 hours per week, etc.”
“Regular Basis” means routinely, for an extended period of time.
SO …
If you care for your neighbor’s child all day, 5 days per week for 9 hours per day, that is a total of 45 child care hours. You must be a certified FCC provider.
OR …
If you care for 6 different children per day, 5 days per week, even if it’s only an hour per day each, that is STILL a total of 30 child care hours. You must be a certified FCC provider.
It pays to be a certified FCC provider! Certified FCC providers receive FREE training & support, FREE referrals, FREE materials & equipment AND qualify for child care subsidies!
Become a certified FCC provider today!
Contact your local CYS FCC Office.
Already an FCC Provider?
Transferring your FCC business from one post to another is a snap!
Don’t stress over a PCS move! A few steps can get you set up as an FCC provider at your next duty station.
Here’s what to do:
- First, make sure your future garrison has an active FCC program. If it does, you may be able to transfer your business.
- Submit an FCC Transfer Request to the losing garrison’s FCC director/administrator, who will review and send it on to HQ, IMCOM G9 CYS.
- Receive initial email or phone contacts from the gaining garrison’s FCC director/administrator less than 30 days after they receive your inbound transfer.
- Continue to stay in touch until you arrive and are set up as an FCC provider.
Meanwhile, your gaining garrison’s FCC director/administrator submits a transfer work order ticket to the supporting CDE office. A background check administrator also coordinates with the losing garrison for your file, determines whether re-verification is needed, and issues an updated Background Verification Checklist to the gaining installation.
We want to make the transfer process as easy as possible for you. Because of that, we’re implementing this guidance across all IMCOM garrisons and spreading the news to all current and newly on-boarded FCC providers.
Additional Benefits to Parents
- Extended care hours for early mornings, evenings, overnights, weekends, and long-term care options are available as well as traditional needs of daily and before & after-school care. Some FCC providers are even available on holidays.
- Homes may be in close proximity either to your residence or work, on or off the post. Patrons can interview prospective FCC providers and select the environment that you feel will be the most nurturing one for your children.
- Nationally accredited and state-certified caregivers! Center-based facilities are not required to be state-certified!
- Homes meet the same standards as a center-based operation including monthly inspections by fire & safety, USDA food program, and health program.
- The safety of families is further emphasized by requiring a background security check of all caregivers and any family members ages 12 years and up.
- Some FCC homes have staff members with special training in accommodating certain special needs of children. Depending upon the needs, ratios may drop further to better accommodate your child.
- Families will be given a list of prospective providers to visit their homes so you can interview the provider as well as touring their home environment.
Monthly FCC Briefings
Monthly FCC Briefings are by appointment only.
Call +1 (910)907-4853 or +1 (910)396-2326.
Location: 4th Floor, Soldier Support Center, FCC Office Room 432
2nd Tuesday of each month for 2020:
7/14, 8/11, 9/8, 10/13, 11/10 & 12/8
