The Ripple Effect of Child Care Access on Military Spouse Mental Health

Military spouses are often hailed as the unsung heroes of military life. They manage households, support their families through frequent relocations, and adapt to the uncertainties of deployment, all while maintaining their own careers, education, or personal goals. But one of the greatest challenges they face—and one that deeply impacts their mental health—is access to affordable, quality child care.

Kayla Corbitt, the visionary behind the Operation Child Care Project (OCCP), is on a mission to better understand how the availability of child care influences the mental well-being of military spouses. In a recent interview with Military Families Magazine, Corbitt dives into the complexities of the child care issue and its far-reaching effects on military families, particularly on the mental health of the spouses who are the backbone of support.

A Common Challenge with Extraordinary Impact

Kayla Corbitt highlights a reality that many military spouses are all too familiar with: the challenge of securing reliable, affordable child care. While this is an issue many civilian families face as well, it takes on a heightened significance for military spouses due to their unique lifestyle.

Military life is filled with demands and sacrifices that can make securing child care even more difficult. Frequent moves mean that just as a family might settle into a routine, they’re uprooted again, leaving behind a trusted daycare, a favorite babysitter, or a carefully arranged schedule of support. For many military families, moving to a new duty station means starting from scratch—navigating waitlists, navigating new state regulations, and rebuilding their support networks.

Corbitt points out that the impact of this instability on a spouse's mental health cannot be overstated. Without reliable child care, many military spouses find themselves unable to pursue their own careers, goals, or even take a moment for self-care. This inability to carve out personal time often leads to increased stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation.

For more detailed insights, you can read the full interview with Kayla Corbitt here.