“We had to find somewhere we trust-ed to put our daughter while my hus-band was in the field and I was look-ing for work,” Gina said.

The Pastors are not alone. With fre-quent deployments,

long stints of train-ing and unpre-dictable workschedules, qual-ity childcare is

more importantthan ever to mili-

tary families.Constantly moving to unfamiliarcommunities can make the searcheven more challenging, and findingsomething acceptable and afford-able is often a daunting task.

The DOD recognized this need andestablished Child DevelopmentCenters (CDCs) at military installationsaround the world. There currently aremore than 800 of the facilities, all of

which meet profes-sional standards forearly childhoodeducation.

Typically, CDCsoffer care for chil-dren ages six weeksto 12 years. Most cen-ters are open Mondaythrough Friday from 6 a.m. to 6:30p.m., although the hours vary by indi-vidual centers.

In an effort to make child care finan-cially feasible for military families, theDoD provides funding to CDCs.Because of the subsidies, militarychildcare is often the most affordableoption for many families.

The DoD established a standardizedsliding scale based on Total FamilyIncome. Families must complete DDForm 2652, the Application forDepartment of Defense Child CareFees, to verify income. Once estab-lished, each family will be chargedaccording to a categorical scale.

The DoD recently updatedchildcare fees for the first

time since the 2004-05schoolyear to account for inflation

and increased usage. The policy,which goes into effect for the 2010-2011 school year, will adjust the feerange, and establish the top earningrange at $125,000 a year and abovefor a more equitable policy.Previously, families earning morethan $70,000 a year paid the same feefor child care. Under the new policy,families will see either a smalldecrease or increase in their feesdepending on their total familyincome. Families earning $85,000 andbelow will experience relatively mini-mal changes. Each military servicewill provide fee guidelines specific totheir installations. Visitwww.defense.gov/news/d20100730fees.pdf for more information.

But affordability isn’t the only advan-tage to using a CDC. Sometimes it’sall about location and safety. Aftertheir move to Ft. Leonard Wood, thePastors realized they didn’t havemany alternatives to the CDC.

“We were kind of isolated and thereweren’t many other options,” Ginasaid. “Because of that, I worried

by Tara Puckey

8 w w w. A m e r i F o r c e . n e t

When Gina Pastor and herhusband, Staff Sgt. AdamPastor, welcomed theirdaughter Alexandra to theworld, they knew the chal-lenges that come withbeing a military family. Andamong the chief of theirconcerns was childcare.

Above: U.S.A.F. Senior AirmanKyle Strang reads to children atthe Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.,CDC. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1stClass Anthony SanchelliLeft: Brooklyn Puckey, 3, practiceswriting letters in shaving creamduring preschool class in Indiana.Photo by Tara Puckey

Above: Children at the Child DevelopmentCenter at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. U.S. Air Force photo by Don LindseyAt Right: Children from the Los Angeles AFBChild Development Center learned aboutselecting nutritious fruits and vegetables at thebase commissary. U.S. Air Force photo by Lou Hernandez

Confidencein

Childcare

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1. Safety First

Make sure you ask about safetyand security policies. Find out theprotocol for checking your child inand out and what the supervisionratio is for each age bracket. Lookinto procedures for emergenciesand don’t forget to make sure toysare sanitized and playgroundequipment is installed correctly.

2. Oops, You’re Late

Traffic, accidents or just a little dis-traction. Everyone is late at onepoint or another, so check to seewhat kind of late charges occur ifyou’re not on time to pick up yourchild. Many facilities have policiesfor frequent tardiness, so be sureyou arrive on time in order to keepyour spot, or to not be charged.

3. I’m Hungry!

Check into the types of meals andsnacks the facility serves and alsohow the food is prepared — especial-ly if your child has a food allergy. Dothey accommodate specific requestsfor vegetarians or religious obser-vances if requested? If your child isextra particular, find out the center’spolicy about parents providing food.

4. We’re on Vacation

For most childcare facilities, you’llstill be required to pay while you’reaway on vacation or if your childhas an extended illness. Some

facilities offer a certain number ofdays as credit to be used towardvacation or will work with you if achild will be out for a significantperiod of time. If this is the case,make sure you have it in writing touse as a reference later.

5. You’re a Visitor

Since the facility is watching yourchild, it only makes sense that youwould want to feel welcome andwanted. Check with the provider asto their rules for visiting andobserving and even for volunteer-ing for class parties or activities.

6. Time Out

Discipline can be a touchy subjectfor parents, so it’s important to beclear up front. Find out what thestep-by-step guidelines are for dis-cipline, which most facilities andproviders will already have in writ-ing. If you aren’t comfortable withsomething, discuss it so that youprevent problems in the future.Most importantly, continue to com-municate with your child’s care-givers on a regular basis.

7. Cough, Cough

Ask the childcare what their policyis regarding sick children. Eachfacility has different rules and limi-tations on fevers, coughs andrunny noses. It’s not a bad idea toask if they have a “sick child”option, where your child can stillattend but be isolated or onrestricted activities.

8. You’re MyTeacher, Cook and

Nurse?

Meet the entire staff, not just theteacher your child will have. Findout about staff and teacher educa-tion and certifications. It’s alsohelpful to find out the turnover ratefor staff, so you’ll know the likeli-hood of your child’s caregiver beingreplaced mid-year. Another note:high turnover can indicate a seri-ous problem in the operation of the facility.

9. Overall Philosophies

Find out the facility’s overall child-care philosophy. If you’re moreinterested in a learning environ-ment, see if they are accredited inearly education. Ask if children canpick activities tailored to theirinterests and if there is a schedulethat is followed each day.

10. Relax

Most importantly, you should feel100 percent comfortable about thefacility and provider. After all, youare leaving your child with them. Ifyou aren’t comfortable, you’llworry all day and your child couldbe miserable. Spend as much timetalking, observing and visiting asyou need to know that you’vefound the right fit for both you andyour child.

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Tips for Choosing Childcare

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