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Recognition, Dignity & Care for Teen Caregivers

Teen Caregiver Community Service Hours (TCCSH)

Teen Caregiver Community Service Hours (TCCSH) is a national recognition framework of the Military Child World Expo Foundation (MCWEF) that acknowledges the ongoing, unpaid caregiving responsibilities carried by teen caregivers, particularly within military-connected families.

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TCCSH recognizes caregiving as lived service, not extracurricular activity.

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Who Teen Caregivers Are

Teen caregivers are children who provide regular physical, emotional, or logistical care for family members due to illness, injury, disability, deployment, mental health challenges, or family instability.

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For military-connected teens, caregiving is often normalized and unseen, despite its significant impact on education, development, and wellbeing.

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TCCSH exists to ensure these responsibilities are recognized without being normalized or exploited.

What TCCSH Recognizes

TCCSH recognizes:

  • Ongoing caregiving carried out of necessity

  • Service performed without formal roles or compensation

  • Responsibilities that limit typical adolescent participation

  • Contributions that often go unseen by institutions

 

Recognition is provided without requiring additional service, attendance, or leadership.

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Image by Markus Spiske

What TCCSH Is And Is Not

TCCSH IS:

  • A recognition and dignity framework

  • National in scope and ethically governed

  • Supportive of youth without extracting labor

  • Flexible and non-attendance-based

 

TCCSH IS NOT:

  • A volunteer program

  • A club or youth group

  • A leadership pipeline

  • A requirement to share personal stories publicly

 

Teen caregivers are recognized for what they already carry, not asked to do more.

How TCCSH Works

TCCSH operates under MCWEF’s national framework and may be supported through:

  • Membership and Chapters

  • Schools and districts

  • Faith institutions

  • VSOs and community partners

 

Recognition may occur quietly and privately, respecting the dignity, safety, and preferences of the teen.

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Participation in TCCSH does not require membership or Chapter involvement.

Image by Shiona Das
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Relationship to the Home of the Military Child

TCCSH is rooted in MCWEF’s commitment to belonging and identity. Recognizing caregiving affirms that teen caregivers are seen, valued, and not alone, without defining them solely by their burden.

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This initiative complements Arts & Humanities for the Military Child by affirming lived experience while protecting development.

Relationship to the Military Child World Expo

TCCSH may be acknowledged or reflected during the Military Child World Expo as part of national visibility and convening. However, TCCSH operates year-round and is not dependent on Expo participation.

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A National Responsibility

TCCSH reflects a broader institutional stance:

Teen caregiving is not a youth leadership opportunity.
It is a community responsibility.

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Explore related initiatives:
Arts & Humanities for the Military Child

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