Family Child Care

Family Child Care provides valuable in-home child care services to support the families of Minot AFB.  The FCC program offers quality care for children ranging from two weeks to twelve years of age by licensed, professional child care providers.  Due to the high demand for early child care, we encourage families to reach out to the School Age Care Program for children over five years of age and going into kindergarten. The School Age Care Program can be reached at 701-723-2838.

The quality of FCC cannot be understated.  It is determined by our licensure requirements; as well as, our heightened focus on training and development.  In addition, each provider is required to follow a curriculum, create weekly lesson plans, and show evidence of successful implementation of their designated educational program.  Every provider is expected to know the developmental milestones of the children in their care and scaffold each child’s learning to increase skill-development.  All providers must complete fifteen modules through our Air Force Virtual Lab School to assist in learning these important milestones and age-appropriate techniques.

Core Values

Our mission is to assist DoD military and civilian personnel in balancing the competing demands of the accomplishment of the DoD mission and family life by managing and delivering a system of quality, available, and affordable programs and services for eligible children and youth birth through 18 years of age.

Along with full-time, part-time, weekly, and hourly child care, some FCC providers offer care for weekends, evenings, shift work, TDY, PCS, special needs, and before and after school.  In addition, there are several free expanded child care programs available to families (Extended Duty Care, Missile Care, Returning Home Care, and Supplemental Child Care Program).  These programs require additional paperwork and parents are encouraged to reach out to our office for more details on how to qualify.

Registering For Care

24/7 & Extended Child Care

MilitaryChildCare.com (MCC) Is the one stop shop for capturing your family’s need for mission-related 24/7 and extended child care!

Requesting Care is Easy!

  1. Start by calling our Family Child Care office at 701-723-6662
  2. Visit MilitaryChildCare.com and login to your existing account, or create an account if you’re a first time visitor.
  3. Click “Find Child Care”, select the child in need of care, the date(s) needed, and the location(s) where child care is needed.
  4. If 24/7 Care and/or Extended Care are available, select the care needed from the list of care types and describe your work schedule.
  5. Select “Next” to view the list of Family Child Care providers offering 24/7 Care and/or Extended care and submit your request for care.
  6. You will receive an offer for care once your information has been reviewed and confirmed.
Subsidy

It is important to note, most families receiving care through FCC are enrolled in our Subsidy Program.  This program enables a family to pay the same price for care that they would at the CDC while the provider receives their requested fee. For example: If a family generates $51,000 total income per year, that family would pay $93 for weekly child care. However, the provider (running her own business) charges $200 per week.  Does this mean the family must find care elsewhere?  No.  The Air Force will pay the provider the difference: $107.

If interested in applying for the Subsidy Program, please fill out the following forms and return to the FCC office in-person or through email: 5fss.fsyf.fcc@us.af.mil.

Family Child Care is the perfect choice for parents who want quality child care in a small group, home-like setting.  The goal of the FCC program is to meet the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs of children while providing a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment.

Deployment Care
The Deployment Child Care Support allows families 16 hours for pre-deployment, 16 hours each month of the deployment, and 16 hours of post deployment.  AF FCC Deployment Child Care Support may be used once the member has orders and ends 60 days upon return from the deployment.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Member of the Military Service
  • Active Duty or Reserve/Guard Member in Active Status
  • Assigned to or working on the installation
  • Deployed in support of a contingency operation
  • Deployed for a minimum of 30 calendar days or personnel who routinely deploy on a short-term basis (cumulative of 30 days in a 6 month period)
  • Copy of deployment orders/PCS orders
PCS Care
PCS Care is designed to help relieve some of the stress felt by families in the process of a PCS move or transitioning from the military.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Member of the Military Service
  • Active Duty
  • Active Duty Member Retiring
  • Copy of PCS orders or Transition Assistance Program Registration

Prior to receiving PCS care through FCC, the family must contact the Military and Family Readiness Center for a certificate.  MFRC can be reached at 701-723-3950.  This certificate is then emailed to our office and we schedule your care!

Extended Child Care Tab (Missile, Extended Hours)
The EDC Program is designed to assist families when weekly parental workloads, due to extended duty hours, exceed the normal operating hours of the facility where they are already purchasing full-time care.  Examples: mission-related duty, extended duty days, temporary shift change (not to exceed 3 working days), rapid mobilization, dual military or single parent deployment until alternate child care is arranged, federal holidays, installation wide down days when AF Child and Youth Programs are closed and parents are required to work, mandatory PT.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Member of the Military Service, Reserve/Guard member in activated status, or DoD Civilian
  • Assigned to or working on the installation
  • Must be scheduled to work – work must directly impact the mission
  • No other adult in the household available to provide care
Missile Care Specific Information
The MC is designed to provide overnight, weekend, and holiday child care for those members assigned to work for more than 24 hours in the missile field.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Member of the Military Service
  • Active Duty or Reserve/Guard Member in activated status
  • Assigned to work for more than 24 hours in the missile field
  • No other adult in the household available to provide care
  • Must be purchasing full-time care
  • Copy of schedule
Process for Obtaining Care
First and foremost, families will apply for and request child care through MilitaryChildCare.com (MCC).When the FCC Office is contacted for a care request either through email, in-person, or by phone; the Family Child Care Coordinator or Community Child Care Coordinator will first check MCC.com to verify the individual need of care.The FCC or CCC Coordinator will then reach out to all providers via their private communication system to ensure all providers are given information equitably and efficiently.

Become a Provider

Own your own business by becoming a Minot Air Force Base Family Child Care Provider! Check out our links below for details and incentives!

Becoming a FCC Provider
Are you interested in obtaining licensure to watch up to six children in your home?  Are you a military spouse or new parent looking to help generate additional income?  Are you retired, living on base, and have a heart to help Minot Air Force Base’s growing need for child care?  In a mere four weeks, we can get you licensed and ready to go!  If interested, please stop by our office to get started!

To operate an FCC home, applicants must meet numerous requirements.  In addition to thorough background screenings performed by local base agencies, applicants are required to obtain liability insurance and must pass home inspections which include Health, Fire, Program, and Safety components.  Applicants must also complete a two-week orientation training, part of which includes instruction on AF guidelines and certification in First Aid and CPR.

Virtual Lab School
Certification through Virtual Lab School is highly beneficial to all FCC Providers.  This training program covers the following fifteen early childhood functional areas: Child Abuse – Identification and Reporting, Child Abuse – Prevention, Positive Guidance, Safe Environments, Healthy Environments, Learning Environments, Physical Development, Cognitive Development, Communication and Language Development, Creative Expression, Self and Cultural Understanding, Social and Emotional Development, Family Engagement, Program Management, and Professionalism.  The first three modules must be completed prior to licensure (during our two-week orientation training).  The additional twelve modules are completed while the FCC Provider runs his/her business.

It is important to note, all modules are completed online and each module contains a certificate of completion.  The benefit of this online platform is accessibility (as most providers complete work during their children’s naptime) and transferability, as the provider’s account may be accessed at an alternate base/location.  The Family Child Care Coordinator assists the provider in his/her completion of these modules.

Benefits of Becoming a FCC Provider
We live in a world where “mother” or “father” cannot be included on a resume, one household income falls short of providing all needs, and families are diverse.  The Family Child Care Provider can maintain a business while watching his/her own children.  Personally and professionally, the provider is able to be his/her own boss while working to assist his/her spouse in growing the family’s income.  With regard to society, the Family Child Care Provider supports developmental growth in a homelike atmosphere or “family:” an American value.

Ways in which the Family Child Care Coordinator and Community Child Care Coordinator support the provider:

  • Supplying care requests to whom the provider can reach out
  • Reminding the provider of renewal dates for fingerprints, CPR, Insurance, etc.
  • Providing monthly training
  • Providing a monthly newsletter
  • Determining “Provider of the Month” and bestowing a gift
  • Inspecting the provider’s home monthly to ensure safety
  • Providing curriculum resources
  • Providing professional development opportunities
  • Assisting with VLS FCC Certification

These are just some of the benefits!  When a provider becomes licensed, he/she joins a group of over 24 providers who are dedicated professionals focused on personal and societal growth.

Prior to Licensure
The FCC Panel, which includes the Deputy Mission Support Group Commander, 5th Force Support Commander, and Airman and Family Services Flight Chief, reviews all application packets.  Those applicants who have successfully completed all requirements are recommended for licensing and are then forwarded on for final approval by the Mission Support Group Commander.
Quality Assurance
To ensure that high standards and quality are maintained in the FCC homes, each home undergoes unannounced observations by the Family Child Care Coordinator and Community  Child Care Coordinator and the providers conduct self-assessments that are verified by the coordinators during their observations.
Resource Center
The FCC program also offers a Resource Center to all licensed providers.  This center provides a variety of equipment, supplies, materials, indoor/outdoor toys, and games for use in FCC homes. This center benefits both the provider and the children in care by providing access to items that may otherwise be unaffordable.
USDA Food Program
Licensed FCC Providers participate in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Program which reimburses them for serving nutritious meals.

For more information about the USDA Food Program, please call our Food Program Coordinator at 723-2604.

Feel free to give our office a call at 701-723-6662 with any questions!

2023 Provider of the Year: Ariel Churby

My family and I arrived at Minot Air Force Base in August of 2021. I was employed by Starbucks, however finding child care seemed nearly impossible. 

It was then that the idea of becoming a Family Child Care provider was presented to me and at the time it seemed like a temporary solution but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. 

Since becoming a provider, I have had the fortune of helping many families through various types of childcare such as Full-Time, Deployment, Appointment, PCS, etc. and I will be forever grateful for the memories that have been made and the impact it has had on myself and my family.

I look forward to helping more families, contributing to the growth of the FCC program here at Minot, and earning the National Association for Family Child Care accreditation.

March Provider of the Month:
Hollie Booth

What do you enjoy most about being an FCC Provider?

I have been in the child care field for over 25 years and I wouldn’t want to do anything else then watch littles grow and blossom into school age children! What I love most about FCC is working with military children and their families I love that I can be an consistent face and give children all the love they need if a parent is deployed or TDY! I also love doing it because I don’t have to leave my house for my job. My husband just retired for the Air Force and it was so good to us and it has a special place in my heart to keep helping and provide care for the military families here at Minot.

What are your interests/hobbies?

I love to shop and decorated my house, I love summertime when I can sit on my deck with my family and our dog. I also enjoy reading in winter.

What advice do you have for new providers/those interested in being FCC Providers?

Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; Working hard for something we love is called passion. My only advice to providers or on coming providers is to make sure your passion is children and providing amazing care for the military families. Military families and children already have enough change in life so provide them good and quality care.

Connect With Us!

Phone Number

701-723-6662

Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday:
7:30 am – 4:30 pm

Saturday – Sunday:
Closed

Location

168 Missile Ave • Minot AFB, ND

Additional Links

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