The Extended Duty Care (EDC) program provides child care that is affordable and accessible to military members as they perform their mission during contingency or high tempo operations. It is designed to help families who have to work longer hours, evenings, overnight, weekends and/or are experiencing a temporary shift change.

Extended Duty Child Care (EDC) - The EDC program assists families in obtaining high-quality child care from licensed or affiliated providers at or near the base when weekly parental workloads, due to extended duty hours, exceed the standard 50 hours of care (typically 10 hours a day or 5-day work week) that families are already purchasing in child care programs on or off base.  Families should establish a plan to meet all their child care needs e.g., short-term TDYs, shift work care where shift work is the typical assignment, family days, deployments, etc.  The EDC program should be considered the “back-up plan”.

Extended Duty Care can be used:

• On-base mission related duty
• Extended duty days
• Temporary shift changes (not to exceed 3-days)
• Rapid mobilization
• Dual military or single parent deployment until children are picked up by AF Form 357 designee (not to exceed 3-days)
• No notice/short-notice TDY

• Less than 1-week notice.
• If no other family member is available
• If verified with supervisor
• Provides temporary assistance (not to exceed 3-days per calendar year) until other arrangements can be found.

• Spouse of deployed or TDY member who is experiencing a short-term child care emergency created in part by the duty-related absence of spouse (not to exceed 3-days).
• Requests to exceed the 3-day time limit are sent to the MAJCOM in advance for approval.  Confirmation of approval is sent from the MAJCOM to Flight Chief, FCC Coordinator and HQ USAF simultaneously. 

• On a regular, recurring basis
• To meet parents’ regular child care requirements
• To provide shift work care where shift work is a typical assignment.
• Mandatory PT
• To provide hourly care for non-duty related reasons 
• For off-duty education and employment on a recurring basis.
• For holidays, family days, CDC/SAP/FCC home closure, attend/watch air shows, etc.
• FCC providers that have medical appointments, child care emergencies that impact on their ability to provide child care or need substitute care (Exception:  Approved by MAJCOM and if EDC Provider has unused hours)
• Child Development and School-Age staff required to work different shift, longer hours and who have other child care emergencies that impact on their ability to provide child care (Exception:  Approved by MAJCOM and if EDC Provider has unused hours).
• Family Member Program staff and FCC provider training (Exception:  Approved by MAJCOM and if EDC Provider has unused hours---this is allowed on an extremely limited basis).

Before providing EDC care, ensure parents provide written verification from their supervisor stating that he/she may need to work in excess of their 50-hour workweek or will experience temporary shift changes.   Ensure specific dates and times are listed.  The care could be for single-use, weekly, or more depending on the need. The FCC Coordinator will make reservations with the EDC provider for the days and times care is needed.   In case of short notice requirements on weekends, parents may contact the EDC provider directly and provide an EDC Parent Statement following the weekend.