Child Development Center
Facility Hours
Phone Number: (907) 377-3237
The Eielson Child Development Center (CDC) provides available, affordable, quality child care for children ages 6-weeks to 5 years. The CDC promotes the cognitive, social, emotional and physical development of children through recreational and educational programming using the Air Force Creative Curriculum. They plan activities based on the children's needs and interests. The staff strives to build a trusting relationship with the parents, so parents can go to work feeling their children are in good hands.
Request Care
Military families will complete a Request for Care at militarychildcare.com, a Department of Defense website for military families seeking child care. This site will allow families to search for and request care from a wide range of military-operated and military-subsidized child care options across all Services to include Child Development Centers, School Age Care Programs, and Family Child Care Homes. Families can expect standardized procedures for effective waiting list management, expedited placement of children and youth into available programs, and enhanced daily operations for programs.
Child Care Fees
Fees are based on the DoD and Department of the Air Force (DAF) annual fee policy and on total family income (TFI). Parent fees may not be adjusted more than once a year. Please call 377-5437 for information on registration and fees or visit the DAF Child & Youth website.
Child Care Priorities
Installations must follow priorities in accordance with DoDI 6060.02. For more information, please visit the DAF Child & Youth website.
Curriculum
Each program implements developmentally appropriate activities that promote the social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of the children enrolled. All programs have a Training and Curriculum Specialist who provides staff training on the implementation of the curriculum and other safety, health and child abuse prevention requirements in accordance with Air Force and DOD requirements.
Eligibility
Child care eligibility is contingent on the status of the sponsor. Eligible patrons as outlined in DoDI 6060.02, including active duty military, DoD civilian employees, guard or reserve on active duty orders, active duty coast guard members, combat-related wounded warriors in an active duty status, Gold Star spouses of military members who died from a combat-related incident, those acting in loco parentis for the dependent child of an otherwise eligible patron, eligible employees of DoD contractors, and others who may be authorized on a space-available basis. In the case of unmarried, legally separated parents with joint custody or divorced parents with joint custody, children or youth are eligible for child care only when they reside with the eligible sponsor at least 25 percent of the time in a month. If granted child care during active duty status, children of combat-related wounded warriors may remain in child care until their dependent child reaches age twelve. Children of combat-related wounded warriors who are medically retired as a result of combat-related injuries may remain in the existing program until the child(ren) is (are) no longer age-eligible.
Parent Involvement
The Child Development Center has a Parent Advisory Board composed only of parents using the various child development programs on the base (Youth Center, Family Child Care and School Age Care). The board acts in an advisory capacity only and representatives of the programs attend the meetings to provide support and answer questions. Parents are given opportunities to be actively involved and staff and parents talk about the program and the care of their children on a daily basis.
Staff
Our programs employ staff who have the qualifications and training required to protect the health and safety of children and provide a program of developmentally appropriate activities. Each program is provided oversight by the Child and Youth Programs Flight Chief and is under the direction of a Child Development Center Director. Directors must have a 4-year degree or an equivalent from an accredited college or university. The degree must be in child development, early childhood education, or a related field including, but not limited to education, social work, home economics or psychology.
Inspections
The Military Child Care Act of 1989/96 and DODI 6060.3 require four annual unannounced inspections for military child development programs. Base personnel conduct annual Comprehensive Fire, Safety, and Health inspections. A team of experts including parents from all programs completes a base level Multidisciplinary Team Inspections. In addition, trained youth specialists from Higher Headquarters also conduct an annual unannounced inspections.
Types of Programs Offered
Hourly Care
Hourly Care is offered at the Child Development Center when slots are available. Even when the enrollment is at capacity, programs sometimes have hourly care available when regular enrolled children are away on vacation or out for other reasons. Hourly care is designed for non-working parents who need hourly care for their children during times when they have appointments or for other reasons. Children in hourly care receive the same care and are provided with the same activities and curriculum as children in full-time care and at most bases are included with children in regular care.
Give Parents a Break
Eielson offers a “Give Parents a Break Program” to provide care for parents who are under increased stress for any reason. The program is sponsored by the Air Force Aid Society (AFAS). The AFAS pays for the cost of care for parents referred by base agencies such as, the Family Support Center, Chapel, Family Advocacy Office, Hospital, First Sergeants, Commanders or the Child and Youth Programs Flight.
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