Please note: this information was pulled from the DOD in April 2024.
Child Care in Your Home (CCYH) is a crucial support program offered by the Department of Defense to assist military families with the cost of full-time child care. However, participating in the CCYH pilot program requires adherence to specific training and background check requirements for providers. In this blog post, we will guide Sidekicks through the necessary steps to complete CCYH required training and background checks, ensuring they can support military families effectively and responsibly.
Being proactive in completing these steps before being hired by a family is going to make you a more competitive applicant in the hiring process, plus help the family that hires you get their reimbursement faster as the family won't have to wait for you to go through these steps to qualify.
Before we begin, as I write this the CCYH pilot is only available in the following locations:
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Hawaii
Jacksonville/Mayport, Florida
Las Vegas, Nevada
National Capital Region
Norfolk, Virginia
San Antonio, Texas
San Diego, California
Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
Ok, so what are the steps?
Complete a CPR certification. A CPR certification is going to cost between $15 and $30, with the higher cost for in-person training. We highly recommend in-person training over virtual because you'll be able to practice CPR on a dummy versus learning CPR more hypothetically.
First aid certification. First air certification can run as low as $10 and take around 20. minutes to complete -- crazy, right? Often CPR and first aid certification go together, so sometimes you can optimize your time and budget.
Child abuse prevention training. Does anyone think that taking this training isn't a good idea?!? I can't think of one person. The good news, this training can be done for free. And, it's super important not only to identify the signs that a child could be abused, but also understanding your obligations as a mandated reporter of child abuse.
Safe sleep training. SST is focused on the prevention of SIDS and is a requirement for any Sidekick that wants the family they work for to qualify for CCYH. The training costs around $15, doesn't take long to complete, and can save a life!
Alright, let's take a moment to pause and acknowledge you've made it this far in the blog post. Once you have completed the four steps above, there are just a few more things to do.
Fingerprint-Based FBI Criminal History Background Check. You can submit your fingerprints at a local FBI office or at a participating U.S. Post Office. You can go to this link, type your zip code, and see the nearest locations to get this done. It's going to cost between $18 and $30 to get this completed.
State Criminal History Repository Check. This can be done online, pricing depends on your state. In Georgia, where GetSidekicks is headquartered, the cost is ~$30. You can obtain a copy of your  criminal history record from most Sheriff's Offices or Police Departments. Contact your local law enforcement agency for specific requirements to obtain a copy of your criminal history record.
State Child Abuse and Neglect Repository Check. It'll cost around $20 to get this done. It can be completed online.
State/National Sex Offender Registry Check. This can also be done online. Some states have a free service!
All in all, you are looking at around $135 to get these steps completed -- the benefit? You'll have a chance to find a family faster and start work sooner.
GetSidekicks connects military parents looking for childcare to military-connected folks that can care for their kids! Whether you are looking for a babysitter, nanny, or someone else - GetSidekicks can help you find your squad! We've got your military childcare covered!
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