Child Care in Your Home

The monthly fee assistance amount paid for each child is based on your Total Family Income (TFI) category and will not cover the entire cost of child care. CCAoA will make the fee assistance payment directly to your selected CCYH provider.

The amount of fee assistance provided per child is based on:

• The DoD assigned TFI Category based on your Total Family Income.
• The DoD determined full-time parent fee per child for the relevant TFI category. For each category, there is a Basic parent fee and a High Cost parent fee based on geographic area. 
• The monthly rate charged by your provider.
• The provider rate cap determined for your geographic area.

You are responsible to pay your provider for all additional costs the fee assistance does not cover, including taxes.

You are responsible for selecting your own in-home child care provider. To find a provider, you may use the expanded child care service available at no cost through Military OneSource. CCYH providers must meet the following requirements:

• Be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
• Have the ability to read, speak, and write English
• Comply with applicable federal and state labor laws, to include income tax implications 

You may consider the following types of in-home care arrangements when you participate in the CCYH pilot.

• A provider who comes to your home to care for only your children.
• A nanny-share arrangement. A nanny share is when two or more families enter into an agreement to hire an in-home child care provider to care for their child(ren) under a co-arrangement. The families agree to share the cost of the child care provider. Families participating in a nanny-share are responsible for developing their own nanny-share agreement and complying with any state or local regulations.
• A live-in arrangement in which the CCYH provider resides in your home and provides child care services. To use this option, you must follow the labor and tax laws. CCYH fee assistance only covers the child care fee and does not pay for any living expenses.
• A provider may care for their own children in your home with a written agreement. In this case, there cannot be more than six children in care, and no more than two of these children can be infants.

Note: The provider may be a relative of the sponsor or spouse, but cannot be the sponsor, spouse, parent, or legal guardian of the children in care.

When you use this pilot program, you will be considered your provider's employer. To learn about the tax implications of being an employer, contact Military OneSource tax consultants. If you receive and accept an offer for CCYH fee assistance, CCAoA will also provide you with information on tax requirements. You can also read the Tax Considerations for Household Employers fact sheet. 

Because you will be your in-home child care provider's employer it's important to negotiate and execute a written contract with your in-home provider. For more information on why it's important to have an agreement with your provider and what you should consider including, review The Importance of Creating Your Child Care Agreement handout.

If you receive and accept an offer for CCYH fee assistance, CCAoA will work with you and your selected provider to understand the provider training and background check requirements needed to participate. In addition to meeting these requirements, if your child has a special need, it is important that you share best care practices with your provider to ensure your child's needs are met.

CCAoA will work with your provider to ensure they complete the following required training before starting, including:

• CPR certification
• First aid certification
• Child abuse prevention training
• Safe sleep training

In addition, the provider must complete additional training such as developmentally appropriate practices, health and safety procedures, and positive child guidance strategies within 90 days of starting.

CCAoA will share information with providers on how to complete the minimum background check requirements, including:

• Fingerprint-Based FBI Criminal History Background Check
• State Criminal History Repository Check
• State Child Abuse and Neglect Repository Check
• State/National Sex Offender Registry Check