D-M’s Child Development Program helps care for DLT families Published Feb. 28, 2012 By Else Milner 355th Force Support Squadron DAVIS MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Davis-Monthan AFB offers a multi-faceted Child Development Program including the Child Development Centers, the School Age Program and Family Child Care program in order to support child care needs while our Airmen work to accomplish the Department of Defense mission. The CDCs and School Age Program are used to meet standard child care needs during the regular duty day, Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. The Family Child Care program is the Air Force's answer to long work hours in the DoD. Family Child Care has several programs available to DoD personnel. The Family Child Care subsidy program allows parents to enroll their children at any Family Child Care provider for the same cost as the CDC. Family Child Care also has the Extended Duty Care program, which provides child care at no cost to the servicemember as they perform their mission during contingency or high-tempo operations and overnight, weekends or long hours. Restrictions and policies apply to all programs. Contact the Family Child Care at 228-2201 for more information. The CDCs and School Age Program are funded by both appropriated funds and non-appropriated funds. Appropriated-funds are "tax-payer dollars." The non-appropriated funds are fees from parents. Non-appropriated funds are used to pay for the majority of the employees who work at the CDCs and School Age Program. Appropriated funds are used for classroom supplies, equipment and food. Parent fees from Family Child Care customers go directly to the individual providers. The DoD has an extensive training program for the Child Development Program. Providers complete 15 comprehensive modules, covering all aspects of child development and proper care of children. The highly-trained providers in our Child Development Program receive more than 24 hours of continuing education in early childhood education annually. The Davis-Monthan Child Development Program is extremely proud of our employees, of which more than 50 percent are military spouses. In an effort to attain the highest quality care, the Air Force provides four skilled Training and Curriculum Specialists who work continuously to improve the quality of the program and the skills of the providers. The School Age Program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation and the CDCs are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The DoD, Air Force, and our accrediting organizations have hundreds of criteria that specifically outline policies and procedures in your to ensure top-notch care. The CDCs are currently accepting applications for children six weeks to five years of age. Infants have the longest waiting period, while children ages one and two have a short waiting period if not placed immediately. Fees range from $59-$139 per week and are based on total family income. Total family income calculations include income of all adults in the home over the age of 18, as well as a variety of other factors. Families with multiple children enrolled in the Child Development Program or Family Child Care subsidy may be eligible for a 10 percent discount on their fees. Parents should contact the D-M CDC, Bldg. 2614, at 228-3336 for additional information or to complete an application package.