Military Child Care: Toward An Integrated Delivery System

In: Armed forces & society, Band 21, Heft 4, S. 639-659

Abstract

This study investigates the problems facing military child care and makes recommendations about how to improve the effectiveness of the military child care system. To collect information about military child care, we interviewed Department of Defense (DoD) policymakers and people in some way connected with child care on 16 military installations. We found that due to multiple and often inconsistent child care goals, the provision of services was uneven and sometimes undermined system goals. Parents strongly preferred and relied on military Child Development Centers even though these centers offered the least flexible care. One of the most commonly voiced concerns by parents was how to obtain care for their child when their regular source of care was not available. We recommend that a more systemic approach to the provision of child care be considered among other recommendations.