At the A&FRC, and EFMP-Family Support Coordinator is available to ensure each family receives comprehensive coordinated family support through the military and/or civilian community.
A&FRCs provide incoming and outgoing relocation services to the Total Force, which includes civilian and contract employees who are relocating CONUS or OCONUS.
Families need information as well as support and encouragement so they can help their EFMs. Through educational meetings along with formal and informal discussions, families can share information, fears, hopes, and plans with other families while learning from one another.
If no local support group exists for a particular special need, the A&FRC may help facilitate and/or provide facilities and other resources to assist. Contact you EFMP-FS Coordinator for more information.
Academic standards, promotion/graduation requirements, services for children with special needs, eligibility for sports and extracurricular activities, and procedures for transfer and acceptance of records vary greatly from state to state and district to district.
The School Liaison Officer serves as the primary POC for school-related matters, including special education preparation.
Active duty members are encouraged to notify the A&FRC readiness Non-Commissioned Officer, School Liaison Officer, and school personnel of EFMs that may require additional support during deployment or extended TDY.
Recreation activities offer many benefits to all individuals, regardless of age, gender, or special needs.
Air Force Respite
The Air Force recognizes that parents with children with special needs need a break, and have partnered with Child Care Aware® of America to create a respite child care program for military families. Respite Child Care is designed for active duty Airmen who have children enrolled in EFMP and diagnosed with moderate or severe special needs. Respite child care is provided to eligible families at no cost to the family. Eligible families may receive up to 12 hours of respite care per month for each eligible child (up to 18 years old).
For more information or to apply for Air Force respite, visit: http://usa.childcareaware.org/military-programs/military-families/air-force/
Respite child care can also be accessed through Child Care Aware.
NOTE: Families eligible to receive respite care at bases where USAF EFMP Respite Care is available are not eligible for this program.
Give Parents A Break This program is intended to help reduce stresses due to the nature of military life: deployments, remote tours of duty, caring for family members with special needs, frequent moves, extended working hours, etc.
Child Care For PCS Program This program is intended to help relieve some of the stress felt by Air Force families in the process of a PCS move. AFAS will pay for 20 hours of child care (per child) in Air Force-certified Family Child Care homes on base or in Air Force-affiliated homes off base.