Fort Leonard^Wood childcare often keeps going after hours

By Ms. Brittany Carlson (IMCOM)July 12, 2012

Fort Leonard^Wood childcare often keeps going after hours
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- When parents need someone to watch their children, "day care" is a common solution. But what if parents need childcare at night, or in the early morning hours?

On Fort Leonard Wood, the U.S. Army Family Child Care program, part of Child, Youth and School Services, offers extended child care, which includes evenings, weekends, early morning, overnight and long-term care for children four weeks to 12 years old, whose parents have a different schedule.

"It's definitely needed here at Fort Leonard Wood," said Cheryl Freeman, FCC director. "It supports the mission. The MPs are here, the hospital (is here). We have parents that have been cooks at a galley; they have to report to duty at 4:30 in the morning. We have a lot of dual military."

Better yet, the care comes at little or no cost.

"All extended care is free if it's duty-related," Freeman said. "That would include evening care, overnight care, weekends and holidays. As long we have orders or a request for extended care form signed by their CO (commanding officer) or supervisor … the Army has a subsidy program that pays for that."

Non-duty-related requests can still be accommodated at $3.50 per hour.

"Quite honestly, we're the best deal in town," Freeman said.

The program is available to all service members, civilians who work on post and retirees who are legal guardians.

FCC providers are contractors who provide home-based care, located both on and off post. They are certified by the CYS Services division and governed by Army Regulation 608-10. All providers follow a state food program and a CYS Services-approved curriculum.

Right now, there are 24 FCC providers in the Fort Leonard Wood area, with 17 substitute providers.

Jessie Tayrien has been a provider in the FCC program for 12 years. Last year, she was named Leonard Wood's FCC Provider of the Year.

As an FCC provider, Tayrien has cared for children at all hours of the day and night, and either way, she is passionate about her job.

"We've always had good experiences with it, where the children became like our kids," Tayrien said. "I started when my youngest was one and never looked back. I really just enjoy working with the children, being able to stay in my home and that flexibility that this job gives."

"When I have children in the evening, I incorporate them into my family. They help with mealtimes and preparing meals and things like that, and we do family activities -- board games, movie night, things like that," Tayrien said.

Her main priority is always "just providing that home environment for them to be comfortable in," she said.

Tayrien understands both the challenges and benefits of working during the evening.

"It's a big job," she said. "Even though you're a mom full-time, you still have to maintain that professionalism in your nightly schedule just like you would your daily schedule."

However, "the benefits are you get to know these kids and love them. You get to help and support the military and their parents," she said. "Our military, especially at this training post -- needs extended hours. For them to be able to concentrate on their mission and get their job done, they have to know that their children are being taken care of."

To offer extended care, FCC providers like Tayrien must be fully certified, which means that they have passed a home inspection and completed nine months of caregiving under observation.

Extended care providers are trained to help children get ready for bed.

"Providers can give children baths and help put them in their 'jammies,' and then they usually just … pull out their little resting mat, which they would do during the day (during nap time), so that just helps the continuity of care," Freeman said.

CHILDCARE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS

Another evening childcare option, strictly for units and organizations holding functions on post, is Kids on Site.

Kids on Site childcare is also provided by CYS Services caregivers. However, instead of offering care in a home or at the Child Development Center, these caregivers look after children at specific event locations, such as the Pershing Community Center, or Audie Murphy's Community Center.

"We have to be on site where they're having the function," said Venetia Mayers, Kids on Site program director.

Kids on Site is available for children ages four weeks to 12 years, for up to four hours at a time. The cost is $20 per caregiver, per hour, and a minimum of two caregivers is required per function.