Parents seek on-base childcare through CDC, FCC Published Aug. 29, 2007 By Airman 1st Class Mike Young 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Edwards' on-base child care programs assist in the education and development of Edwards' youth while their parents help support the base's mission. The Child Development Center and the Family Child Care program offer an age-appropriate educational curriculum to children before entering kindergarten. "We provide exceptional care to Team Edwards' children," said Christina Sutton, CDC section chief. "This allows their parents to go to work without having to worry." They accept children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. Parents can sign up for a full-time contract, which lasts until they move to another base, Mrs. Sutton said. This requires a two-week notice before canceling the contract. There is also hourly care available. However, it is limited to the space the center has. Parents can call and make reservations up to two weeks in advance. "The earlier the better," Mrs. Sutton said. "We tend to fill up fast." The CDC offers a variety of activities for the children and also assists parents in potty training their kids. "The children are very well prepared," Mrs. Sutton said. "Once they leave, the children are ready for kindergarten." The CDC also has snack time, nap time and family-style dining, where the children learn about table manners in a family dining setting. "We have a very good program," Mrs. Sutton said, "We are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children." With 89 staff members, the CDC is very well prepared for the 364 full-time slots, which are usually full, Mrs. Sutton said. However, they can also refer people to off-base centers. She said the CDC works well for children who thrive in large groups, but for those children who may excel in small group care, there is the Family Child Care program. The FCC is a home-based service and currently consists of 12 active providers, who are all certified for child care. To be eligible, the providers go through an orientation and have their homes inspected by the fire department, public health and the FCC section chief. Mary Acklin, the FCC section chief, said the providers are put through an extensive inspection to ensure the children are treated with the best care possible. She visits each provider's home once a month to observe and offer feedback to the provider. Providers also attend meetings every month, as well as receive monthly training on various aspects of child care. In addition to child care, the providers also offer the same age-appropriate pre-school curriculum as the CDC, Mrs. Acklin said. Offering more one-on-one interaction with the children, the FCC providers are allotted a maximum of six children per home including their own. However, they are only allowed to have two children under the age of 2. "This is a great alternative to children who may be overwhelmed with large-group care," Mrs. Acklin said. "The children receive more attention and interaction with the provider." The FCC also offers free extended duty care, which is available for those who are required to work past their normal duty hours. "It really helps during base exercises," Mrs. Acklin said. "It is a wonderful service." Every month there is a list of the current providers disseminated to all the first sergeants, the base commander and other base agencies. For more information on FCC programs, parents can call Mrs. Acklin at 275-4322 or at 810-8129. For more information regarding the CDC, parents can call Mrs. Sutton at 277-1591.