Military Child Care Programs: Progress Made, More Needed

Highlights

GAO reviewed military child care programs, pointing out some potential problems in the quality of the programs and identifying opportunities to reduce child care costs.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should require the services to periodically verify compliance with DOD standards.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should require the services to determine where appropriated funds are needed to correct unsafe or hazardous conditions.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should require the services to use uniform building design guides for child care facility construction where feasible.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should require the services to use family day care homes, with proper monitoring, as an adjunct to child care centers where feasible.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should require the services to use a variable fee structure, based on rank or total income, which accomodates the financial needs of lower-ranking personnel and hardship cases.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should develop DOD-wide minimum standards for the services' child care programs. These standards should address: (1) total group size; (2) caregiver/child ratios; (3) educational activities; (4) staff training; and (5) food services.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should require the services, when it is not feasible to correct unsafe or hazardous conditions, to document and develop plans to overcome the problems of facilities which should be closed.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should require the services to provide, individually or on a joint basis, training programs for all child care staff. The training programs should make full use of the Ft. Lewis Project manuals and guides.	Closed – Implemented When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

See All 8 Recommendations

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Topics

Worker and Family Assistance

Child care programsDay care centersFacility securityMilitary cost controlMilitary dependentsNonappropriated federal fundsProgram managementSafety standardsMilitary forcesInfants