American military veterans are heroes for the work they do overseas and on the home front. Once they return to civilian life, this work shifts to their own home as parents and caregivers. Nearly 50% of veterans live in a household with children, making the need for reliable childcare a critical and important step to a well-adjusted and successful family life.
Let's first dive into the average childcare expenses to prepare for, as well as the top veteran-specific options for high-quality care and a few budget tips to further ease the financial expense.
The cost of childcare in America
Regardless of whether you are a veteran, childcare in America is expensive. According to a survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Bankrate, most people pay an average of $8,355 per child for all-year care. This comes down to about "$750 per child per month during the school year and an average of $834 for summer child care." Cutting costs with a cheaper choice is an option, and some veterans may ask family members to watch their children, but high-quality and reliable childcare is valuable no matter who provides it.
Even with subsidized and other government benefits, childcare can eat up a large portion of a family budget. Most public funding comes from the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), authorized by the Child Care Development Block Grant Act, or CCDBG.4, but there are some private childcare providers that offer discounted childcare for veterans as well.
Top veteran options for childcare
Below are some of the best childcare options, government-funded and otherwise, for veterans:
- The Office of Human Resources Management VA Child Care Subsidy Program: This is a childcare option provided by the U.S. Office of Veteran Affairs, where veterans are given a subsidy to put toward the cost of childcare. To see childcare centers local to your area, check out this interactive map feature which includes the name and address of places that are supported through the VA program.
- Financial assistance from Child Care Aware: Child Care Aware is a program that, according to their website, "serves more than 10,000 military children every year." Families from every branch of the military are supported through this fee assistance program, whether in an active-duty service member or veteran role.
- Ask if there are veteran discounts: Many childcare businesses and establishments that aren't associated with a federal agency want to show their support and gratitude to veterans through discounts, but many of them don't actively advertise these benefits. In some cases, savings can even apply to spouses of veterans. Never be afraid to ask if there are discounts available to your military family.
Additional tips and other options
If there are no VA-sponsored programs available in your area, try looking for a federal center within your state of residence. This additional resource page on the GSA.gov website can match you with a nearby option based on your region.
When seeking childcare coverage, start early. Childcare centers and in-home care providers often have a waitlist, and program approval processes can take a while to complete. Spend some time planning ahead and mapping out your needs so you can weigh these various options and utilize them if you qualify.
Childcare is one of the most important things to any parent, but the financial stress that it can add to the life of a veteran can be mitigated by using the above tips. The options are out there, and more Americans than you might think are working to support veterans and their families.
Childcare can be expensive and time-consuming for anyone, but the American Heroes that are veterans may have some options to alleviate some of that stress.