Health, Safety and Work-Life (HSWL) Regional Practice Boston
Helping you balance your Work and your Life
Family Child Care Program
In addition to administering the Family Child Care Program, the Family Child Care Coordinator has information on local child care resources and the Coast Guard- and GSA-sponsored subsidies.
The Family Child Care (FCC) Program enables spouses or other family members of Coast Guard members to operate a child care business in their homes. The FCC Program provides cost-effective and convenient child care for members with greater flexibility than center-based daycare while providing a second source of income for the FCC provider.
ANY INDIVIDUAL OPERATING A DAYCARE (sometimes called babysitting) IN COAST GUARD-OWNED OR -LEASED HOUSING MUST BE CERTIFIED AS AN FCC PROVIDER. For these purposes, a daycare is any child care arrangement where parents drop their kids off at the provider's home. It can be full day, after school, 3 times a week, occasional, etc. If the individual providing the child care services does so for more than 10 hours a week, then their child care must be certified by the Coast Guard. Please contact the FCC Coordinator if you have questions.
In order to become an FCC provider, you must meet the following requirements:
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Must be at least 18 years old, a responsible, emotionally stable person capable of exercising good judgment in caring for children, and have the ability to speak, read, and write functional English;
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Must be a family member and an authorized resident in Coast Guard-owned or leased housing.
Once you express an interest in becoming an FCC provider, you will need to do the following:
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Submit an FCC provider application;
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Have a physical examination including a tuberculosis screening test;
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Pass a background check which looks for history of child or spouse abuse and/or neglect;
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Become certified in CPR for children and infants and Standard First Aid (we can help you with this) and complete the required Family Child Care provider orientation training (done with the FCC provider and FCC Coordinator). Providing child care in your home is a great service to our Coast Guard families
Contact Maura Redy, 718-354-4404 or email her at Maura.Redy@uscg.mil
U.S Coast Guard Child Care Subsidy Program
The Coast Guard Child Care Subsidy Benefit program was created to assist Coast Guard Members who use any federal child care center, or any state licensed child care facility in the Continental US (CONUS) and outside the Continental US (OCONUS) which includes child development centers as well as in home licensed child care providers to provide childcare for their children. The benefit is available to Active Duty Members and Active Duty Reservists called to action for 180 days or longer and do not have access to a US Coast Guard Child Development Center (CDC). Families will qualify for subsidy benefits based upon their Total Family Income (TFI), that is, (Adjusted Gross Income + Annual BAS + Annual BAH II).
If you have questions regarding the Coast Guard's Child Care Subsidy program, please visit www.gsa.gov/portal/content/102063. Email:uscgchildcare@gsa.gov or call: 1-866-508-0371.
Useful Links:
Childcare.gov is a comprehensive site devoted to information about child care. It includes links to child care locators, guidelines for choosing the best child care for your family, as well as information about specific topics from childhood obesity to tax credits.
Child Care Aware - National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agency website for finding child care nationwide.
http://www.childcareaware.org/
National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies - Non-profit organization dedicated to providing child care information to parents, professionals, and advocates.
The National Association for Family Child Care is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality child care by strengthening the profession of family child care.
Boston Area Child Care: Child Care Choices of Boston - www.childcarechoicesofboston.org
(617) 542-5437
CG SUPRT can be contacted 24 hours a day at 1-855-247-8778 and www.cgsuprt.com.
Maura Redy
Office phone: 718-354-4404
Child Development Services Specialist
Jody Carman (Air Station Cape Cod only)
Office phone: 508-968-6635