Expanded Hourly Child Care Service FAQs

The nationally recognized online subscription service enables parents to:

• Access an online database of more than a million care providers
• Use the subscription service without paying any fees
• Search for care that meets their own needs and criteria
• Choose how to interview, hire and pay providers

The Defense Department recognizes that military families’ child care needs vary and offers this expanded service in response to requests for hourly, flexible and on-demand child care.

Families can visit the Expanded Hourly Child Care Options page on Military OneSource. They use their existing Military OneSource account or create one to get a unique subscription code and establish their child care service account.

This service is available to anyone who is eligible for Military OneSource services. Visit MilitaryOneSource.mil to learn more about eligibility requirements.

This service is available as a 30-day subscription, but once an individual creates an account it does not expire during the period Military OneSource provides this service. It is accessible at any time.

There is no need to renew. Families can continue to access the child care service using the login they created during registration.

This offering covers only the cost of the subscription. Service and family members will arrange payment terms and method directly with the care provider.

Parents can use the company’s screening process, which includes secure messaging, interview booking and background-check options. If the provider does not offer background checks or there are additional associated costs, the family will need to negotiate with the provider. The Defense Department does not cover those costs.

Yes. The online service is available in addition to these existing child care options for families:

• Find on-installation care through MilitaryChildCare.com. This Defense Department online request-for-care system helps families in any service branch find and request military-operated child care anywhere in the world including facility-based or home-based child care programs, before- and after-school care and camps.
• Child care fee assistance for off-installation care is available for eligible families through Child Care Aware® of America.
• Check with local installation child development centers about on-installation child care options.
• Find out if the DOD In-Home Child Care Fee Assistance program is available. Furthering its commitment to support service members and military families in securing child care that fits their family’s needs, the DOD has initiated this program to provide fee assistance for families who have determined that full-time, in-home child care is the best solution to meet their needs. The pilot is available in select regions only.
• Speak with a Military OneSource consultant who can provide options based on specific child care needs. Consultants are available 24/7/365. Call 800-342-9647, view OCONUS dialing options or set up live chat.