S. 5683: Best Practices for Military Family Child Care Homes Act

This bill would require the Department of Defense to create a department-wide best practices guide for people who want to start and run a Family Child Care home on a military installation. The guide would have to be published within one year of enactment.

What the guide would cover

The guide would need to explain, in a standardized way:

• how to become a certified Family Child Care provider;
• training, inspection, background check, licensing, and certification requirements;
• available financial help, including startup support, subsidies, grants, and reimbursements;
• liability coverage, safety standards, and emergency preparedness rules;
• ways to reduce paperwork and other administrative barriers; and
• any other information the Secretary of Defense thinks would help prospective providers.

How the guide would be developed and shared

In creating the guide, the Secretary of Defense would have to consult with military departments, military installations, Family Child Care program administrators, and experienced providers from successful programs across the Department of Defense. The goal would be to identify and include practices that have worked well in expanding participation and reducing obstacles to opening and operating these homes.

The guide would also have to be made publicly available on a Department of Defense website in a format that is searchable and accessible for military families.

Service-specific add-ons

The bill would encourage each military department to publish and maintain its own appendix to go along with the main guide. These service-specific appendices could include:

• service-specific policies and procedures;
• installation-level best practices;
• information about unique child care needs or operational requirements;
• guidance on military housing issues related to Family Child Care homes; and
• contact information and resources specific to that military department.

Reporting to Congress

Within 18 months of enactment, the Secretary of Defense would have to brief the congressional defense committees on:

• steps taken to carry out the law;
• efforts to increase awareness of Family Child Care opportunities among military spouses and families;
• barriers that have been identified in opening Family Child Care homes; and
• possible legislative or administrative changes to improve child care capacity for military families.

Relevant Companies

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