Dear Parents: Bldg 1807 Bldg 1805

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1 Dear Parents: WELCOME to the Scott Child Development Program (CDP)! We are pleased that you chose our program to be the place your child will spend his/her time while you are apart. Our primary goal is to provide a safe, nurturing environment that will foster your child s growth and self-esteem. The policies outlined in this handbook were created with your child s safety and well-being as our top priority. We are continuously striving to provide the highest quality of child care for your child. Throughout this growing process, we encourage parents to take an active role in communicating their compliments, concerns and suggestions. Parents are a vital link to the success of our program and your child s experiences in the CDP, and we invite you to take an active role through visiting with the staff and spending time with your child at the center. Again, we are very happy that you have entrusted your child s care to us. We look forward to many positive experiences with you and your child. KELLY MCCONNELL LYN KLOECKNER Director, Child Director, Child Development Center Development Center Bldg 1807 Bldg 1805

2 SCOTT AFB CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY The practices of Air Force Child Development Programs are based on current knowledge of child development and early childhood education. We are responsible for supporting the development of the whole child, meaning all areas of development are considered inter-related and equally important. Our programs acknowledge that children learn through active, hands-on involvement with their environment, peers, and caring adults. We respect each child s unique interests, experiences, abilities and needs, thus allowing us to be responsive to and appropriate for each child. Children are valued as individuals, as well as part of a group. Likewise, our program respects and supports the ideals, cultures, and values of families in their task of nurturing children. We advocate for children, families, and the early childhood professionals within our programs. GOALS The Child Development Program goals are to: Foster positive identity and sense of emotional well-being Enhance social skills Appreciate and respect cultural diversity Encourage children to think, reason, question and experiment Build physical development and skills Support sound health, safety and nutritional practices Advance creative expression, representation and appreciation for the arts Develop initiative and decision-making skills Promote language and literacy development

3 ACCREDITATION The Scott Child Development Program is certified through the Department of Defense Child Development Services and is required to be accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. Certification and accreditation are earned by high quality child care centers that provide a safe environment as well as developmentally appropriate curriculum. ELIGIBILITY All children between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years whose parents or legal guardians are either active duty military, DoD civilian personnel paid with either APF or NAF, reservists on active duty or during inactive duty training, and DoD contractors, assigned to Scott AFB, are eligible to enroll in the Child Development Program. HOURS OF OPERATION The Child Development Program operates Monday-Friday from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm. The program observes all federal holidays and will be closed accordingly. The families are welcome visitors during the program s regular hours of operation. Emergency closings due to base closure or inclement weather will be at the discretion of the Installation Commander. Parents may be called if an emergency arises. There are several messages that might be announced on the radio, television stations, through or over the Scott Air Force Base Information Line ( ) during emergencies or inclement weather. a. Delayed reporting (up to 2 hours) is granted to Scott AFB employees. If this is announced, the Child Development Centers and School Age Program will open at Their employees are expected to be at work as close to normal time as possible, however, we want them to arrive safely so there could be a few delays in opening some classrooms. b. Only mission-essential personnel are to report to work at Scott AFB. If this is announced, the Child Development Centers and School Age Program will be open on a limited basis for children of mission essential personnel only. The mission essential member will be required to sign in on a special form at the front desk, provide a duty location, phone number, hours they must work, and the name of their commander.

4 c. If early dismissal is authorized, we ask that parents pick up their children as soon as possible so we can start releasing our employees. Our goal is to get the children, their families and our employees home as quickly and safely as possible. If you are mission essential and required to remain on the job, we ask that you call your center and give them a number where you can be reached and an approximate pick-up time. d. If the base announcement states that Scott AFB is closed, then all facilities will be closed and child care will not be available. The Child Development Program is designed to provide care for children on a weekly or hourly basis. Children can attend the center for a maximum of ten hours in one day. The Mission Support Group Commander may grant an exception to the ten hour limit if a valid parent(s) commitment requires longer care hours. This is approved on a case-by-case basis. However, approval for extended hours does not negate the hourly fee charged for care beyond ten hours. One of the front desk staff can provide a letter which outlines the guidelines for requesting extended hours. All children must be picked up by 6:00 p.m. ALERT STATUS CARE In order to meet the demands of our military during alerts and real world situations, the Family Child Care Office offers an Extended Duty Child Care Program. This program can assist military families working extended hours by increasing the hours of care available by using Air Force licensed Family Child Care Homes for additional hours. The Extended Duty Child Care Program provides services beyond the standard 50 hours of care that families are already purchasing in child care programs on or off base. It is designed to help families that need more care because they have to work longer hours, evenings, weekends, and/or are experiencing a temporary shift change. For more information about enrolling in this program, please call the Family Child Care Office at or Military parents are required to have a back-up plan in case space is not available. UPDATING INFORMATION Parents are requested to update the information on their child s registration form as soon as possible after a change has occurred. Parents should review the child s information quarterly to ensure all information is kept current. Emergency contact persons and release designees should also be reviewed periodically to ensure they are accurate and still in the area. It is the responsibility of the parent to notify the CDP staff of any changes in the family situation. All information regarding families and children are kept confidential.

5 FEES Weekly fees are based upon a uniform sliding fee scale according to the total family income as outlined by the DoD guidelines. Total family income includes wages, salaries, tips, long term disability benefits, quarter s allowances and subsistence allowances as well as in-kind quarters and subsistence received by the military member. New patrons are required to submit their latest LES or payment stub as proof of income with an Application for Department of Defense Child Care Fees. Anyone who does not submit this form will be charged the maximum rate. A fee schedule is available upon request at the front desk. All parents are required to provide current credit card information to the program prior to receiving care. This information will be stored in the safe and only be used if payment isn t made on time. All fees must be paid in advance of service by 5:30 pm on Tuesday of the week, or the second work day we are open. Parents are strongly encouraged to make payments at the front desk. Cash, personal check, and credit card payments are accepted. Cash and credit card payments must be made in person. Check payments can be placed in the drop box. Credit card payments will only be made over the telephone if the parent is on vacation. Parents whose payments haven t been received by the third work day of the week will be charged their weekly fee using the credit card information they provided. If their credit card declines, a $15 late charge will be assessed and parents will have until Friday to submit their payment or they will lose their space in the Child Development Center. Parents who are experiencing a financial hardship may submit a request for reduced child care fees through the Family Member Programs Flight Chief for approval by the Mission Support Group Commander. Please contact the front desk staff for assistance. Families that will not be using their full day space are encouraged to notify the Child Development Program so that hourly patrons may use the space. The Child Development Center will give families a credit towards their next weekly child care fee if their space is used for hourly care and they have notified the program in advance of its availability. The credit will be for the total number of hours their space is utilized times the pro-rated hourly rate. TAX INFORMATION Tax information is the responsibility of the parent. The Child Development Program may not always be able to provide patrons with an account record for tax purposes. Receipts are given at the time of payment and should be maintained for your personal records.

6 The Child Development Program s tax identification number is The address for the program is: ABSENCE FROM CARE 375 SVS/SVYC Child Development Program 505 Ward Drive, Room 203 Scott AFB IL Absences from care due to illness, vacation, federal holidays, base closures, or TDY are not cause for a reduction in fees or credits to your account. We request parents notify the program when their child will be absent from care for more than one day. CDP staff often become concerned if a child is absent for an extended period of time. CDP staff may call to inquire about the child s well-being. Families that will not be using their full day space are encouraged to notify the program so that hourly care patrons may use the spaces. The Child Development Center will give parents credit towards their next weekly child care fee if their space is used for hourly care and they have notified the program in advance of its availability. While the Child Development Program cannot hold child care spaces open for deploying members or individuals going on extended TDYs unless the parents are willing to pay the required weekly fee to retain their space, we will support parents who wish to withdraw their child from the program by placing the child s name at the top of the waiting list providing certain criteria are met. Parents must provide a minimum of two weeks notice using the appropriate withdrawal form, which must be accompanied by a copy of all applicable orders. The parent must then notify the program at least 30 days prior to the date the child wants to start in the program again. The CDP will try to place the child on the requested date. If this is not possible, the program will assist the family in making alternate arrangements, such as Family Child Care, until a space is available. HOLIDAYS Holidays are a special time with families and friends. It is a time when individual beliefs and doctrines are reinforced in very personal ways. With this in mind, the Child Development Program makes an effort to celebrate holidays in methods that do not discriminate or suggest to the children which holidays are best. We enjoy hearing children discuss their family traditions, but we try very hard not to influence children in their beliefs. The curriculum used in the CDP is not based on holiday themes. We recognize the year s progressions though seasonal changes and concepts/skills the children can easily understand. The activities planned by the program assistants may correlate with a holiday, but our intent is to allow individual families to teach their children about those holidays that they choose to celebrate.

7 To allow our employees some family time during the holidays, we will close early on the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year s Eve. HEALTH REQUIREMENTS At one time or another, all children will come down with an illness that will prevent them from attending the program. The age groups and number of children in our program increases the children s susceptibility to communicable diseases and infections. This is especially true for children who are new to group care. Until children develop natural immunities, they seem to be more susceptible to illness. In an effort to maintain the children s health, the Child Development Program adheres to a high standard health policy. For the health and safety of everyone at the CDP, each child will be visually screened for illness upon entering the program. Children who have a fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or a contagious disease should not be brought to the center for care and may be denied service if the program supervisor determines the child displays symptoms, which would require exemption from the program. If a child develops any of these symptoms during the day, the CDP requests that parents pick up their child from care within one hour. Parents are not required to take their child to a health care provider when the child is released from the program due to a possible illness. Regardless of whether the child was seen by a health care provider, parents may bring their child back to the program once the conditions no longer exist and the child is symptom free or the required treatment or time span has elapsed. If a parent chooses to take their child to a health care provider, a note or the Medical Center s triage form indicating a diagnosis or non-contagious symptoms may be faxed to the program. However, a note from a health care provider cannot override the guidelines set forth in the CDP s health policy. In the event your child does have a communicable disease, we request that parents notify us as soon as possible to allow us to inform other parents of their child s exposure and provide information on the illness. Please note it is the responsibility of the parent to have alternate care available when a child needs to be removed from the program due to health concerns. MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION Trained program staff will administer medication, including over-the-counter medication, to children as long as the medication is in its original container, is accompanied by a written order from a health care provider, and an AF Form 1055 is completed. The AF Form 1055 must be accurately completed to include a signature from a health care provider as well as the provider s stamp or name

8 printed below the signature. All medications must have a stop date. Parents must provide daily written permission on AF Form 1055 to administer the medication. Generally, the CDP will administer routine or scheduled medication at 1030 and 1430 only. By limiting dosage times, we reduce the opportunities for mistakes to occur. If a child needs to receive a dosage at a time which is different from these hours, the parent must administer the medication. Exceptions to this may be granted depending upon the medication and the intended use. Parents should talk to program staff if there are extenuating circumstances. On an annual basis, parents can sign permission to apply diaper ointments/salves, sunscreen (1 brand approved by our medical liaison), lip balms, and over-the-counter hand lotions. Diaper ointments/salves can only be used for treatment purposes. Parents wanting their child to have insect repellant on during the day must apply it before coming to the program. CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS The Child Development Program makes every effort to serve children with special needs. To assist with meeting the child s needs, we ask that parents work closely with the director and the medical advisor. A completed special needs packet (available at the front desk), current IEPs and therapists goals are required if applicable. The following criteria are used to determine suitability for our program: a. The suitability of the program to meet the physical and social needs of the child b. The availability of trained staff to correctly provide quality care c. The overall impact on the other families in the program d. The overall financial impact on the program due to a required reduction in staff/child ratios When approved by the medical advisor, the CDP accepts children with chronic health problems (including HIV positive children) for care and may employ persons with chronic health problems. The guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control are followed to ensure the protection of the health of all children and adults. IMMUNIZATIONS All children enrolled in the Child Development Program must have current immunizations to protect the health and safety of the children and staff. A list of these immunizations is available at the front desk. Proper documentation must be presented at the time of registration and must be updated as the child advances in age. Children whose immunizations are not kept current will be

9 denied care. Parents may be given a notice of termination of care unless medical documentation justifying a delay in the immunization schedule is provided. USDA CHILD AND ADULT FOOD PROGRAM The Child Development Program provides meals and snacks throughout the day. The guidelines established by the USDA Child and Adult Food Program ensure that the meals and snacks meet the nutritional requirements for each particular age group of children in care. A five week cycle menu is followed to allow variety in foods served. The menus are posted in the reception area. Children who are on a special diet or who are allergic to a particular food item, such as milk products, must bring a note from a physician explaining the requirements of the child s diet and approved substitutes. The Child Development Program will review the request to see if it can meet the needs of the child. Meals are served family style. For infant meal patterns, please see the staff in your child s room. The Child Development Program serves breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack, for the children. All meals and snacks must be eaten in the classrooms and will not be allowed in the halls as the children are entering and departing. Parents are encouraged to pick up their children before/after meals and snacks or be prepared to wait until they are finished eating. Check with your Child Development Center for the times of meal service. Please note that any food that is served to the children must be purchased and prepared by the Child Development Program. Children should not bring drink or food to eat into the program. This is environmental health sanitation and safety measure as well as an AFI policy to protect the children. BIRTHDAYS Birthdays are important occasions in the lives of the children. The second Friday of the month is Birthday Celebration Day. The CDP will provide each classroom with a cake or cupcakes, and the children can decorate them for the celebration. Parents can supplement the snack with decorations or paper products to make the day more memorable. For more information, please contact the staff in your child s room. CLOTHING The Child Development Program will provide the majority of items your child will need throughout the day. However, we do request that parents provide a complete change of clothing for their child that can be used in the event of an accident. Additionally, parents need to provide a supply of diapers and wipes for children who are not using the toilet. Please ensure all items are clearly labeled with your child s name.

10 The children will be participating in a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities throughout the day. Please dress your child accordingly in clothing that is comfortable and will allow him/her to play in the sand or paint pictures. We discourage children from wearing expensive or dressy outfits since they may become damaged during play. Also, in order to protect the safety of the children, we request that children do not wear open toed sandals to the program. These pose a tripping hazard for young children. TOYS We realize that children often have special toys that provide them with a sense of security throughout the day. As such, we encourage children to bring a special stuffed animal or blanket to sleep with at naptime. The CDP requests that parents refrain from allowing children to bring in toy guns, swords, any type of weapon and action figures. Additionally, the CDP will provide all computer software for the computers in the classrooms to prevent damage to the computer or the software. Therefore, we ask that parents do not allow their children to bring computer games to the program. It is strongly recommended that children do not bring special items to the program as they may get lost or damaged throughout the course of the day. Additionally, children should not bring any item that they are not willing to share with others. A lost and found box is located in the reception areas. Please check there if an item is missing. Items that are not claimed after a three month period will be donated to an on-base organization or used in the program. The Child Development Program does not assume responsibility for valuable items lost while at the program. If a valuable cannot be found, the parent can file a claim with the legal office. STAFFING Each classroom has a minimum staff-to-child ratio. The younger the child the lower the ratio. These ratios are posted at the entrance to each classroom. The rooms also have a maximum number of children per area. These ratios and capacities are set by AFI The staff in each room are trained by the Training and Curriculum Specialists and through their own efforts. Each room has a designated room leader and several program assistants who plan activities, monitor progress and behavior and provide each child with individualized care. Throughout the day, children will have an opportunity to work with different staff members since the staff work various hours. Parents are encouraged to talk with their child s caregivers so a good working relationship can be maintained.

11 CURRICULUM The Child Development Program offers a developmental curriculum. This simply means that children learn in a progressive and individualized manner. Children learn through hands-on experiences, active thinking, and experimenting with positive reinforcement from the staff. Our classroom environments are carefully planned to allow children to learn through playing, socializing, and experimenting with materials and toys selected with this goal in mind. The daily schedules are designed to offer a balance of structure and free choice as well as active and quiet times while also offering children the opportunity to be an individual. Additionally, children have the opportunity to go on field trips to extend their learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Information about specific activities the children will be doing can be found on the activity plans that are located on the parent information bulletin boards in each classroom. Outdoor play is an essential and integral aspect of the curriculum. The outdoor environment provides children with a new, stimulating environment to play in and explore. Outdoor play provides children with the opportunity to practice grossmotor skills and develop coordination and muscles. Additionally, outdoor play allows children to breathe fresh air, which contributes to overall good health. All children in attendance in the program will go outside daily weather permitting. Children will not go outside if it is raining, lightening, sleeting, or snowing heavily. Additionally, children will remain inside if the temperature including wind chill is 15 degrees F or lower or if the temperature including heat index is 90 degrees F or higher. The program director has the discretion to allow children to play outside for a short period of time (10-15 minutes) in temperatures exceeding these limits. It is the parents responsibility to ensure their children are dressed appropriately for outdoor play. The CDP cannot accommodate parent requests to remain inside rather than play outside due to maintaining staff-to-child ratios. The Child Development Program provides many learning experiences for children to be ready for kindergarten and supports the Illinois Early Learning Standards. GUIDANCE The Child Development Program staff realize that children need to exert their independence, and we encourage self-expression through a variety of media. The staff also give children the freedom to choose and encourage independent decision making. Discipline in the program is consistent, constructive in nature, and based on mutual respect. Staff establish clear, reasonable expectations and exercise a kind, firm, and consistent manner to assure compliance. On occasions when children use behavior that may pose a threat to themselves,

12 other children, the staff, or property, the staff will monitor the child and make observations to help determine the cause of the behavior. These observations may lead to new avenues leading to appropriate behavior. On some of these occasions, the staff may determine that corrective or developmentally appropriate action is required. These actions may include redirecting, removal from the group or situation, and/or parent conferencing. Parents will be kept informed of any inappropriate behavior and any action that the staff have, or will, take with the child. Most acting out can be modified with a combined effort from staff and parents. As a last resort, parents may be asked to find alternate care for their child if it is determined that the large group setting is not appropriate for the child. Within the Child Development Program, no form of corporal punishment will be practiced by any staff member, volunteer, visitor, or parent. This includes spanking, hitting, pinching, slapping, shaking, and/or verbal abuse, threats, or derogatory remarks. While in the center, on the playground or in the parking lots, parents must refrain from using any form of corporal punishment. CHILD ABUSE REPORTING The Department of Defense recognizes the fact that child abuse is a concern of all parents and child care professionals alike. In an effort to serve patrons of military child care programs, a National Child Abuse Hotline has been created. The number is That number is posted in the Child Development Program lobbies, offices, and all caregiving rooms. The Scott AFB Family Advocacy Office at or the State Department of Child and Family Services may also be contacted if child abuse is suspected. All child care professionals are mandated by law to report all suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. Child abuse prevention materials and information are available in the lobby and resource area of each Child Development Center. PARENT COMMUNICATION In an effort to maintain open communication between parents and Child Development Program staff, the CDP encourages all parents to take an active role in the Involved Parent Association Advisory Board (IPA). A parent volunteer chairs this board and facilitates the meetings. All parents with children in Family Member Programs are invited to attend the meetings and have the opportunity to make recommendations, voice concerns or express their opinions on program policies and procedures. Flyers or boards announcing dates and times of meetings are posted in the lobbies. Parents are also encouraged to become active in their child s classroom. Parents are welcome to volunteer to assist with field trips, special events, or activities in the classroom. A parent participation plan is available to all parents

13 in an effort to provide you with information about special events. Please talk to the caregivers in your child s room to receive more information. A parent library of pamphlets is located in the lobbies of the Child Development Program. Please help yourself to any that you find interesting. Parents may also use our resource library to check out materials that address a variety of parenting topics. Please see the director, assistant director, or training and curriculum specialist for assistance. Parents are welcome in the Child Development Program at any time. PARENT CONCERNS Parents are encouraged to communicate on a daily basis with their child(ren) s caregivers. If a problem or concern arises, parents should bring it to the attention of the caregiver in charge of the group or talk to the room leader. If the parents still have concerns, they can use the Child Development Chain of Command, which consists of: 1. Teaching Staff or Room Leader 2. Section Leader (GS-5 over each age group) 3. Assistant Director or Director 4. Flight Chief 5. Deputy Commander 6. Commander We try to solve all problems at the lowest level. Your concerns and/or suggestions are very important to us and we encourage you to get to know the staff and administration in your child s building. ADDITIONAL CHILD CARE OPTIONS Returning Home Care: 16 hours of FREE child care per child in a licensed Family Child Care home. Open to deployed members returning home or during a two week R&R. Members must use this service within 30 days of return. For more information, call Extended Duty Care: Child care in a licensed FCC home for families who need care beyond the standard 50 hours per week. Ideal for families who need care in the evenings, weekends or temporary shift changes. For more information, call Give Parents a Break: FREE child care for active duty AF Families one time per month at the Child Development Center. Sponsored by the AF Aid Society. Designed to provide relief to families experiencing temporary stress; members seek a referral certificate from any of the following agencies: first sergeant, commander, chaplain, Airmen and Family Readiness Center, Family Advocacy, or medical physician. For more information, call or 2669.

14 Child Care for PCS: 20 hours of FREE child care in a licensed FCC home to help relieve the stress felt by families during a PCS move. Sponsored by the AF Aid Society. Families with PCS orders are eligible to receive a certificate from the Airmen and Family Readiness Center for use within 60 days of the family s departure from or arrival at Scott AFB. For more information, call WITHDRAWAL When children are going to be withdrawn from the program, a written notice must be submitted at least two weeks prior to their final day. Payment for the two week notice period is required even if the child does not attend. A form is available at the front desk to simplify this procedure. PHONE NUMBERS Original Child Development Center, Bldg 1807: or (located near Dining Facility) Mazie V. Gilland Child Development Center, Bldg 1805: or (located across from the dorms) Family Child Care Program, Bldg 386: or (located by ALS) Youth Programs, Bldg 4780: (located across from Scott Elementary School)