Military spouses and dependents seeking a job they can take with them from installation to installation should consider becoming a Family Child Care provider.
The FCC program provides employees Child Development Services certification training and professional development opportunities.
Childcare providers lead field trips, organize events and develop daily lesson plans for the children. Once certified, providers can transfer the job to new duty stations and the position also leads to promotion within the FCC program, according to Evelyn Flores, FCC director.
"What I like about FCC is that it's unique. The child care occurs in a home-like environment," Flores said. "Parents can stay at home and make some income while they take care of their own children and support those children of military and Department of Defense civilians."
Family Child Care providers offer full day, hourly and overnight services. To become a certified childcare provider, applicants must complete a 40-hour training course and an in-home interview. The training covers topics such as child abuse, CPR and child medication. The Belvoir fire department inspects the home to ensure safety. Background checks are also performed on applicants, spouses and children 12-years of age and older.
Community members who meet these requirements receive a probationary certification, which is valid for three years, and are allowed to provide childcare to Families. Community members receive full certification, which is valid for three years, after successfully completing one year of providing childcare.
Flores said the FCC program offers great professional development, as employees must develop lesson plans for infants, preschool and school-age children. Providers must also schedule field trips to places like libraries, bowling alleys and parks.
Pamela Rennick, FCC administrative assistant, was a provider for two and a half years and led field trips to airfields and commissaries. She also hosted a quarterly luncheon with her children's parents. She said the job helped her become more social and skilled in event planning.
"FCC is wonderful," Rennick said. "Sign up and be a provider. You'll love the experience and find out gifts and talents you never realized you had."
The skills providers develop make the FCC position a mobile job, as providers can continue to offer care at installations across the Army, Flores said. Becoming a provider also presents opportunities for jobs within FCC. Flores, a former FCC provider, and Rennick both said they acquired their current positions after working as providers.
Flores encourages community members to become FCC providers, especially people currently providing unauthorized care.
Unauthorized childcare happens when a resident is providing regular care for more than 10-hours a week without valid certification, according to Army regulation 608-10. The regulation also states "Those individuals occupying Government housing will be advised that their housing privileges may be terminated if the care continues."
Unauthorized providers must express their willingness to become certified if they wish to continue to provide care. The regulation provides FCC directors discretion in deciding to begin the certification process.
Flores said Belvoir's FCC hosts amnesty campaigns twice a year to allow any post resident providing unauthorized care to become an FCC provider, without penalty. During this period, those who come forward and meet the eligibility requirements may continue to provide care while simultaneously going through the FCC certification process.
The FCC is actively searching for new providers and community members are welcomed to apply, Flores said.
"We want to make sure children are being taken care of in a safe environment," Flores said. "They're more than welcome to provide care but it must be done safely and by the rules."
Providers can watch up to six children between the ages of four weeks and 12 years. No provider can watch more than two infants younger than two years old. Parents serving as providers must include their own children in the total number of kids they're watching, if the child is eight years old or younger.
Rennick said the program is very beneficial for parents raising children.
"You can stay home with your children and raise them but at the same time your children get more social skills because they can interact with other kids," Rennick said.
Interested community members must reside on post to participate in the FCC program. Additional requirements include:
• Be at least 18 years of age or older
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Have basic reading, writing and math skills
• Be able to pass a health assessment prior to provision of care
• Have no evidence of family violence, child neglect, and alcohol or drug abuse
• May not hold another job during hours an FCC home is in operation
• Be able to speak English fluently enough to implement fire, health, safety & developmental program requirements
For more information about how to become a certified FCC provider, contact the FCC office at (703) 805-9137/9134.
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