For Shirley Ochoa who loves children and enjoys having them around her home, working as a Family Child Care provider is more than a means of supplementing her family's income. It is an opportunity to provide a valuable service to the Baumholder Military Community.
"Family Child Care is very personal, almost one-on-one," said Ochoa. The idea is to work with Soldiers and parents to provide quality care for their children. "We try to adjust to their schedule because the kids need somebody to help them," said Ochoa.
Child care providers like Ochoa offer the same child care in their homes as their counterparts in the child care centers. They are credentialed and receive the same training as their counterparts in the centers. Their homes must also meet the same stringent standards the centers are held to.
A licensed care provider can watch up to six children at one time but Ochoa has never cared for more than two or three at a time because for her, "It's very important to give as much attention to the children as possible."
Ochoa has worked as an FCC provider here for two-and-a-half years and is totally dedicated to her job.
"Ms. Ochoa consistently delivers a high quality program in her home to families in the community, providing care on weekends and during extended hours," said Jason Etchell, Child, Youth and School Services coordinator.
In addition to the financial rewards and the satisfaction that comes from knowing you are providing a valuable service to Soldiers and families, there are the educational perks that come with the job. FCC providers have the opportunity to earn a Child Development Associate certificate, which can open many doors for them in the field of child care. "I just received my CDA certification," said Ochoa, who smiled and said "It's very exciting for me to get this credential."
"A Child Development Associate credential is highly recognized in the states," said Hildegard Bragg, Family Child Care director. "It is a civilian program that the Army bought into. It's paid for by the Army and it's free for the providers," said Bragg. Providers can receive 14 to 16 college credits when they complete their CDA.
"Becoming an FCC provider also gives them an opportunity to go through an individual development plan. Completing the IDP gives them up to nine college credits," said Bragg.
While Ochoa studied to earn her CDA certification, she received much support from Bragg. "She is very enthusiastic and pushed me into studying for my CDA. She told me it would be very beneficial for me," said Ochoa.
Ochoa and Bragg were recently recognized for their contributions to the FCC program by Col. G. Shawn Wells Jr., U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz commander, Wells presented Ochoa a garrison coin in recognition of the continuous high quality care she provides and Bragg received one for 25 years of dedication to the FCC program. "Her program is frequently recognized as one of the best in Europe by inspection teams," said Etchell.
Although the FCC program currently meets the needs of the community, Bragg wants to increase the number of providers. "Right now I have six providers. I'm looking for more providers to open up their homes because with the increase in Soldiers I'll have to increase my number of FCC homes," said Bragg. She estimates a need for 15 to 20 providers to accommodate the projected increase of families.
Being an FCC provider has also enriched Ochoa with valuable life lessons. "In these, almost four years of working with FCC, I learned a lot because every parent, every child, that comes into my home is a different life. Every child has a different personality, that's why we need to tailor the way we care for the child according to his or her personality. It's a great learning experience," said Ochoa.
"I have seen that the children need quality time and this is something that this service provides because we can dedicate ourselves to the children. It's not like we try to be parents for the children, but we can give them love and affection and the care that the parents, because of their training and other military commitments, are not always able to provide.
"I love to work with kids. It's my passion. For me this job is perfect because I can work at home," said Ochoa.
Bragg summed up the FCC experience by saying that as a provider you actually do five jobs. "You are the caregiver, you're the director, you're the clerk, you're the cook and you're the cleaning lady, all this while trying to fit your family needs in there too. That's why I ask new providers to start out with two children. This way they can build a routine and get used to working with children and meet their family needs as well," said Bragg.
If you're looking for some additional income without having to leave your home, becoming an FCC provider might be the job you've been looking for. Call 485-6588 to learn how you can cash in on this opportunity while doing your part to help families and Soldiers. Working as a Family Child Care provider gives new meaning to the phrase, "stay-at-home mom."
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