NORFOLK, Va. — Like everybody else, military members need reliable child care.
But accessibility and affordability remain challenges for them, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
With more than 76,000 children enrolled, the Department of Defense operates the largest employer-sponsored child care program in the U.S.
The DOD views it as essential to overall mission readiness, retention and recruitment.
"Having adequate child care and high-quality child care is critical to military families for the well-being of the children and for the readiness of service members and their spouses," said Kathryn Larin, the GAO's Director, Education, Workforce and Income Security Team.
According to the GAO, about three-quarters of active duty service members were satisfied with the quality of on-base child care their kids receive.
The report says the centers do meet military-specific needs like offering care for families who frequently relocate and work non-traditional hours.
But some military members expressed concerns about long waitlists, with care sometimes being unavailable for six to seven months at a time.
The other major concern cited in the report was care costs, especially for junior personnel.
"It's a very important issue and the long wait lists and high cost are factors that are really impacting families," said Larin in an interview Tuesday with 13News Now. "The Department of Defense has outlined steps it's going to take to help increase the supply of child care. But it's critical that they follow through on those plans."
The GAO report says that the Defense Department plans to build more child development centers, find more community-based providers, and provide help with costs for those who need it.