Military Mother Hugging Daughter

There are several programs that help military families pay for child care, wherever they are stationed. There are also other child care financial assistance options that military families can consider should those programs have waiting lists. Learn about these programs here.

Use MilitaryChildCare.com (MCC)

MCC provides information on military-run programs worldwide. Through MCC, military families can search the full range of military child care options that match their needs. Military families who would like to enroll their child in a military-run child care program must submit child care requests through MilitaryChildCare.com. Military-run child care programs use a sliding fee scale based on family income to help military families with the cost of child care.

Apply for Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood fee assistance

If you cannot access military-operated child care due to distance or waitlists, active duty service members (including reservists on active orders) may also be eligible to apply for child care fee assistance if they do not have access to on-base child care.

Select your branch of service below to learn more about its Military Father Holding Hands with Daughterchild care fee assistance program:

Air Force Fee Assistance Program

Army Fee Assistance Program

Marine Corps Fee Assistance Program

Navy Fee Assistance Program

U.S. Coast Guard Fee Assistance Program

The Department of Defense is also funding a pilot program to provide fee assistance to military families for full-time child care in their own homes. Visit MilitaryChildCare.com to learn more. 

Use a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) 

An exciting new DoD program now allows military families to set aside up to $5,000 in pre-tax earnings to help cover the cost of dependent care expenses like child care, prekindergarten, and summer camp. 

Military families can use funds from their flexible spending account to pay for child care costs while they work, look for work, or study full-time. This program is available to service members in the active (regular) component, active Guard Reserve on Title 10 orders, and DoD civilians. Service members receiving DoD child care fee assistance can also participate in a DCFSA. The programs are treated differently for tax purposes. 

You can sign up for a DCFSA during the annual Federal Benefits Open Season or after experiencing a qualifying life event. 

Learn more about this new Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account program today. 

Consider state or territory child care financial assistance programs

If military child care and military fee assistance programs have waiting lists, military families with low-income may be eligible for child care financial assistance in the state or territory in which they are stationed. Select your state or territory and review the “Financial Assistance for Families” page to find the child care financial assistance program where you live.

Consider other military child care relief or respite programs

Military families may also consider other military family support organizations that sometimes provide temporary child care relief or respite programs to help military families with child care costs. Visit Military OneSource or the National Military Family Association to see if other child care financial assistance options are available.