What should a family care plan include?

Members of the military who are single parents or who have custody of a child must create a family care plan. This plan is an important consideration because it outlines what will happen to the children if the military member gets ordered to deploy. Always having the FCP up-to-date is vital just in case no-notice, or emergency, deployment is ordered.

What kinds of arrangements should I include in the FCP?

You should include instructions for daily activities, such as drop-off and pick-up times for school or for the bus. You should also include information about any extracurricular activities your child participates in. Adding in a sample daily schedule is also a good idea since children thrive on consistency. You should also lay out the information about how life in your home usually works so that the caregiver of your child can understand the normal activities and behaviors of your child.

What types of documents should I include?

The caregiver you appoint for your child should have the child’s medical information. This should include the name and information for the child’s doctor, any medical diagnoses and any medications or supplements your child takes. You should also include a copy of your child’s birth certificate, military ID cards, wills, insurance documents and any emergency information the caregiver might need.

Some members of the military might also consider powers of attorney documents and other important legal documents. If you are creating or updating a FCP, you should make sure that you have everything in order so the caregiver can act on your behalf while you are away.

Source: Military OneSource, “How to Create a Family Care Plan for Caregivers,” accessed Sep. 09, 2015