Child care connecting website memberships paid for by DoD

By Katina L. Ventura

Hilltop Times Staff

May 10, 2012

As summer approaches military families really feel the heat. As kids bust through the doors when the last school bell rings they will head for home, where their parents will be communing, albeit face to face, by phone or online, "What in the heck are we going to do about child care?"

Military families are more likely than civilian families to have only one parent at home due to deployment and add to this one in three military families will get orders to relocate between May 15 and Sept. 30. Relocating usually means uprooting from friends and family to a new post where you don't know anyone; much less anyone you might entrust with your most personal possession, your children.

To help families navigate the challenges of military life, the Department of Defense has paid for memberships to Sittercity for Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy families, including active duty, Reserve and Guard. Sittercity, founded in 2001, is the nation's largest and most trusted website for connecting families with high quality care providers and instant access to over 2 million, pre-screened caregivers nationwide. Caregiver profiles include background checks, references, reviews, photos and much more.

Sittercity's proprietary matching technology helps families hand-select the perfect caregiver for their family. Families can even find military spouse caregivers through the program. In addition, service members and their families can connect with Military certified care-providers including Child Development Homes (CDH) and Family Child Care (FCC) as well as caregivers who are military subsidized and authorized access to military installations.

Eighty-four percent of military families who used this, said Sittercity met their childcare needs that were not met by other military programs. And 93 percent would recommend Sittercity to other military families.

"Flexible childcare is essential for military families because of their unique needs," said Melissa Anderson who heads up Sittercity's Government Programs. Military families can activate their Sittercity membership today by visiting www.sittercity.com/dod.

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