Upwards Military Child Care Assistance
If you’re in the Army Reserve or National Guard and are a parent, you know that finding quality, affordable child care can sometimes seem impossible. That’s where a program like Upwards steps in—its military child care assistance program helps ease this burden by covering child care costs during eligible training periods.
What is Upwards Child Care Assistance?
Jessa Santangelo, Upwards’ VP of Business Development and Community Impact, describes the company as “the nation’s largest child care company for vetted and licensed child care providers.”
Upwards connects Army Reserve and National Guard families with licensed child care providers and offers financial assistance to cover the cost. Unlike traditional subsidized programs, Upwards works through your phone or computer, thanks to an app and website that allow families to find and enroll in care that fits their unique needs. “We’re here to match families, their preferences, and needs, to the exact right provider for them,” Santangelo states.
“We began working with the military about two and a half years ago, and that stemmed from a real need—more than 70 percent of service members live off base, so CDCs [child development centers] can’t really fulfill the community at large.”
“Take, for example, waiting lists—CDCs with waiting lists can’t build themselves out of the waiting list. At best, it takes three years and millions of dollars to build a center. So we were able to form a partnership with the government and launch new covered child care programs immediately in support of Army Reservists and National Guardsmen.”
“When this pilot program started, the Guard and Reserve members wanted to measure its success by allowing people to attend drill, as child care was a big obstacle for many families. The rate an E3 or E1 earns doesn’t cover the cost of child care, so they are going to service at a loss. They would pay out of their own pockets significantly more than it would even make sense for them to attend. So the partnership has been a huge success.”
How Can I Get Child Care Through Upwards?
Upwards offers a range of child care options to fit your needs, from daycare centers to in-home providers. This gives military parents flexibility in choosing what works best for them. It’s sort of a “one-stop shop” for parents seeking vetted child care.
Upwards offers covered child care for military members attending drill weekends, annual training, and emergency deployment for Army Reserve families in five states—Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, and Northern and Central California.
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What is the Weekend Drill Child Care (WDCC) Pilot Program?
The National Guard Bureau and Upwards created the Weekend Drill Child Care (WDCC) Pilot Program. ARNG service members on T32 or M-Day status during drill weekends can take part as long as they are:
- Drilling unit members in a Pilot 2 state such as Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, or Wisconsin.
- Parents to dependent children, six weeks to 12 years old, registered in DEERS and are eligible for care.
Through the WDCC Pilot Program, care is offered during drill weekends, which include MUTA 4 and MUTA 6 drills (i.e., Saturday and Sunday, or Friday to Sunday or Saturday to Monday).
The program and rescheduling options are free at press time if drill periods change due to command orders. Parents can cancel up to 48 hours before care starts and make reservations up to 30 days in advance.
Families with both parents serving, single soldiers, and those whose spouses are working or in school on drill weekends can participate in this program. Exceptions may be considered for extenuating circumstances involving a spouse working or in school. Contact NGB J1-M at ng.ncr.ngb-arng.mbx.weekend-drill-childcare@army.mil to request exceptions.
How Do I Sign Up?
- Create an account. Sign up on the “Upwards: Child Care You’ll Love” app from Apple or Google Play or go to Upwards’ website.
- Verify your eligibility. Applicants may need to verify their military status and training schedule.
- Specify your child care needs. Share your specific schedule and preferences with Upwards.
- Get matched. Through the information you shared, Upwards finds licensed providers to fit your needs.
Once enrolled, families can manage care arrangements through Upwards’ mobile app. It makes it easy to schedule, update, and communicate with caregivers in real time.
When Will Upwards Cover Military Members in All States?
If your location isn’t covered for military programs yet, it may soon be—states and licensed providers are being added constantly, according to Santangelo.
“We’re waiting to work more with our amazing partners at the Guard and the Reserves to expand [our programs], and they are closely monitoring everything. They’re very aware of how in demand they are, and the long waiting list for parents is.”
The Upwards app and website are available in all 50 states and four territories—that means you can still use its matchmaking services to find daycare options, and you’ll only need to pay for the provider’s time. “We have over 120,000 licensed areas, and after supporting 24 states, we’ve only found one location where there wasn’t adequate supply. We went in and built that supply in less than six months to make sure that it met the demand.”
Why Use Upwards?
- Financial Relief for child care costs during training days, reducing out-of-pocket expenses.
- All childcare options are licensed and vetted to ensure your child is in a safe, nurturing environment.
- The Upwards platform makes it simple to browse, compare, and book child care options that meet your needs.
Upwards also offers help from dedicated care managers to guide military members through the process and address concerns. Assistance is available for any questions or last-minute changes 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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