Hurlburt Field
Child Development Center
Contract for School Year 2016-2017
PURPOSE: The purpose of the Child Development Center (CDC) is to provide a quality, caring environment for children ages
6 weeks through 5 years. This contract is provided to explain the procedures and scope of the CDC during the contract period.
_____ 1. ELIGIBILITY PRIORITY: Sponsored family members of active duty, combat related wounded warriors, child development direct care staff and/or DoD civilians/contractors assigned to Hurlburt are eligible for enrollment. Parent(s) must be full time employees or enrolled as a full time student.
_____ 2. ENROLLMENT PRIORITY: Priority will be given IAW DoDI 6060.2 and AFI 34-144, and local policy as designated by 1 SOMSG/CC. Parents must notify the CDC when their employment or student status changes. The enrollment of children in families where the spouse is no longer employed/full-time student may be terminated within 30 days of change in status if there is a waiting list of higher priority patrons for that child’s age group. If there is no waiting list, the slot may be retained until a waiting list patron with higher priority requests care. In such instances, a 30-day notice will be given when the slot must be relinquished. If a spouse is not employed or a full-time student during the time of registration, it is mandatory that within 30 days of the spouse’s new employment or full time student status, documentation must be provided to the program to establish the proper enrollment priority.
____a. There will be a two week trial period for all enrollments. Start date ______
This trial period will allow both the child and CDC program to adjust to the new environment and to ensure this program is the right fit for your child.
b. Either party may terminate care within the two-week trial period. If the contract is cancelled during this period, the parent will be responsible for payment for those days the child receives care. Please note deposit fees are non-refundable.
_____ 3. FEE INFORMATION: The Military Child Care Act of 1989 (Public Law 1809, Section 1504) requires that the Department of Defense (DoD) establish uniform fees for childcare based upon total family income (TFI). Parents enrolling their child in contract care are required to bring the current month’s copy of the sponsor’s Leave and Earning Statement (LES) and a current month’s copy of the spouse’s pay statement to verify total family income, whether taxable or not. TFI is defined as wages, salaries, tips, special duty pay (flight, active duty demo, and sea pay) active duty save pay, long-term disability benefits, voluntary salary deferrals, retirement or pension income including SSI paid to the spouse and VA benefits paid to the surviving spouse before deductions for taxes listed on the member’s most recent LES except Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). In lieu of the BAHthe Non-Locality Basic Allowance for Housing with Dependents Rate (BAH RC/T) for all members, regardless of whether they live in government housing or off the installation in cash or in kind and other allowances appropriate for the rank and status of military or civilian personnel. TFI includes the income of all adults living in the household as a family.
____a. Fees are determined by completion of DD Form 2652 and are based on a sliding scale. There will be no credit or refunds given for illness, down days, inclement weather, emergency closing, and federal holidays or days parents choose not to bring their child to the program. A 10% discount is given to any additional children enrolled after the first child. Children must be enrolled in CDC, FCC or YC programs on Hurlburt Field for discount to apply.
____ b. All fees are due in advance. Weekly fees and late pick-up fees are due NLT the following Monday close of business of the week of care. A late fee will be assessed when payments are not received by close of business Tuesday for weekly fees. For parents utilizing the 1st and 15th fee schedule, payments are due by the close of business of the 4th and 18th. If all fees are not paid by the dates above, the credit card on file will be charged with applicable late fees on the next business day. The child will not be accepted into the program the following week and parents will still remain responsible for paying for services rendered if the charge has been declined. Cash registers close daily at 1700 unless center circumstances require an earlier closure time. There is a check drop box for those parents arriving after the register has closed. Late fees are $10 for weekly paymentsand $20 for 1st and 15th payments.
____ c. Late Pick-up Fees: Parents of children left after closing time (6:00 pm) will be assessed a late fee pick-up charge of $1.00 per child for each minute after closing time. The program will notify the sponsor’s supervisor to pick up the child if the child has not been picked up within a reasonable amount of time or if the parent/emergency contact cannot be reached by phone. After thirty minutes of failure to contact the parent(s), emergency contact, and supervisor, Security Forces will be notified to pick-up the child. The program reserves the right to suspend services to those parents who are continually late picking up their children.
_____d. Fee charts are available at the front desk. Fee payments can be made in personby check, cash, and Mastercard/Visa. The center is able to automatically run your payment. Many banks offer a bank check payment service. If you pay by automatic bank check, no late fees will be assessed if the payment arrives after the 4th/18th. Please contact your bank for specific information on how to start the bank check process. You may also send a personal check through US Mail. No late fee will be assessed if the check is postmarked by the payment due date.
_____e. If we are open for extended hours before 0600 or after 1800 additional fees may apply. Extended hours would only be during extreme circumstances if Family Child Care was not able to support the need.
_____4. CREDITS/REFUNDS: Credit may be given for natural disasters only as determined by the Special Operations Force Support Squadron/Wing Commander. Days/hours missed or partial attendance will not be prorated, nor will weeks in which holidays occur. For emergency leave or deployment that would take your child away from the program suddenly, a copy of the order/leave verification must be provided to the program. You are still responsible for making your weekly payment on time. Emergencies and special circumstances for waiver or partial/full refund will be considered on a case-by-case basis and approved only by the MSG/CC. Such waivers maybe granted for short periods of time or until the next TFI review. Failure to provide verification will result in automatic financial responsibility for the full amount of care even if the child did not attend during this time. There is no credit or reduction for TDY. Front desk staff are not authorized to refund from the cash register. If a refund is granted, credit cards will be credited or a check request/electronic transfer will be initiated. Submit original receipt and a check will be sent to you within 3 to 5 business days.
_____ 5. HOURS OF OPERATION: The CDC is open from 0600-1800 and closed on Saturdays, Sundays and all federal holidays. Fees will not be prorated on these days. Credits are not given for added Federal holidays in the incident that additional holidays are declared by the President of the United States. In addition, the program will be closed on 24-25November 2016, 25-26 December 2016, 31 Dec 2016- 2 Jan 2017 and 3-4 Jul 17 as well as any days the base closes due to weather conditions as designated by the Wing Commander.
_____6. ADMISSION PROCEDURES: The following documents are required to be completed and on file prior to attendance:
AF Form 1181 – AF Youth Flight Patron Registration Form, all required information must be reviewed and current with (2) emergency contacts (someone other than parents). Any changes in information must be updated immediately. Please pay special attention when completing the section entitled SPECIAL NEEDS CARE/CHRONIC ILLNESSES/ALLERGIES (ask the front desk or supervisor if you need any clarification).
Special Needs Information – Children with special needs will need to complete additional paperwork to ensure the program is meeting the child’s needs. **This additional paperwork must be completed prior to enrollment. This paperwork may include documentation from the child’s medical provider or special educator. A Child and Youth Inclusion Action Team comprised of a multidisciplinary group of professionals meet as needed to assess reasonable accommodations for children/youth will identified developmental and/or medical requirements. Please notify front desk staff of any special needs so they can provide you with the necessary forms.
Credit Card Authorization- In order for your child to be enrolled, a credit card authorization is required to be on file. This paperwork is locked daily and only used in the event payment is not received for services rendered.
DD Form 2652 – Application for DoD Child Care Fees. All required information must be provided for new patrons. Those families whose category may have changed during the contract year may ask for guidance on fee reduction waivers at the front desk.
Deposit-- a $30 deposit to be applied to the first week of care is required to secure the child care space.
_____ 7. SIGN IN/OUT PROCEDURES: Authorized persons dropping off or picking children up must sign in/out with the first and last legal name of the child on the AF Form 1930 as the child enters and/or leaves the program. The person signing in/out the child must be listed on AF Form 1181 and present proper identification upon request. Only persons 14 years of age or older are allowed to sign children in/out of program. Identification will be required of all persons when picking up children, unless that person is known and recognized by the front desk and classroom staff.
_____ 8. PROGRAMPARTICIPATION: Children are offered outdoor play experiences on a daily basis. Field trips are an integral part of the program for children three years and older. Parents/guardians give permission for field trips on AF Form 1181. The children may be taken to different facilities on base such as the fire station or library for extended learning experiences. A daily schedule is posted in each activity room. In addition, a detailed plan of the week’s activities based upon Teaching Strategies, the Creative Curriculum is prepared and posted in the activity rooms. That plan is used by the caregivers to ensure the children have a variety of rich experiences that enhance their individual development. We encourage you to read the plan, be aware of the activities your child is involved in and talk about it at home. This will help reinforce your child’s learning and make the adjustment from home to center easier for your child.
_____ 9. HURRICANE CONDITIONS: Your child’s safety and well-being is of utmost importance. For the safety of the children and the staff, and per Hurlburt Field Hurricane policies, the SAC will be opened until instructed by the Wing Commander to close. When Storm Watch (SW) is announced, the SAC will re-open as directed by the commander. Please stay tuned to Local television and Radio channels for any announcements concerning the program. Established procedures and plans are put in place to ensure your child’s safety (e.g., fire drills, active shooter, tornado, and hurricane. In the event of a Hurricane: Based on guidance from the base commander, program will follow HURCON Checklist.
_____ 10. ABSENCES: Please plan appointments, etc., well in advance and inform the CDC front desk by 0900 if your child will not be attending the program. If your child has not arrived by 0900 (and there has been no phone call from the parents sharing the child is arriving late), the CDC may adjust the classroom ratios or accommodate last minute requests for hourly care.
_____ 11. HEALTH AND HYGIENE: CDCs follows the current version of Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools for exclusion of youth and readmission into the program. Fortheprotectionofyourchild andtheother childreninourprogram,weneedthe cooperationofallparentstoensurethatcommunicablediseasesarenotbroughtintoourprogram. The program will not accept children into care who are exhibiting signs of illness in accordance with the Hurlburt FieldAirman andFamily Services Medical Exclusion/Inclusion policy. To prevent the spread of illness throughout the center, all children and adults are required to wash their hands upon entering the classrooms. If a child gets sick during business hours, the child must be picked up within one hour from the time the parent is called. Parents unable to pick up the child within that time will need to make alternate arrangements to have the child picked up from the program within the required time frame. Children sent home for illness may return in accordance with Hurlburt Field Airman and Family Services Programs Medical Exclusion/Inclusion policy. If your child does not feel well enough to participate in program activities, the child should stay home until they are able to take part in activities. Please inform the CDC when your child has a communicable disease so that “exposure to illness” notices can be posted to inform other parents. Please see the parent handbook for additional exclusion/inclusion criteria. Good health and hygiene practices must be observed to protect the children participating in the program. To reduce the spread of germs, children are encouraged to wash their hands often.
_____ 12. MEDICATION: Only task certified staff members will administer medication. Parents are required to complete AF Form 1055,Youth Flight Medication Permission, daily to indicate when medications are to be administered. Medications will onlybe administered if the AF Form 1055 has been initialed for that day. Medications accepted on an “as needed” basis require the appropriate authorization from parents in the event the medication should need to be given. An AF Form 1055 must be completed for an epi-pen and asthma medication. Epi Pen 1055’s are signed annually and asthma 1055’s are signed monthly. If authorization has not been given, the parent will be phoned to receive authorization and it will be annotated on the AF Form 1055. If the parent cannot be reached, the child’s medical provider will be contacted. All medications must be in the original container, have the following information on the prescription label: name of physician, date filled, prescription number (except for meds from the ER, child’s name, dosage amount and frequency, ending date (ex: use for 10 days or until completed) and expiration date of medication). Prescriptions must be current. An annual permission form can be completed for sunscreen, lip balm, diaper ointment, and hand lotion.
_____ 13. DRESS CODE: Due to safety reasons, children are not permitted to wear open-toe, sandal-type, Crocs or Croc like shoes, or slide-in shoes to the program. Shoes are required for all children once they begin to walk. Washable play clothes are recommended. Strapless shirts are prohibited. Two to three changes of clothes, to include undergarments in case of accidents (5 sets for toilet training children), is also recommended and may be kept in the child’s cubby. We recommendall items to be marked with your child’s first initial and last name in permanent ink. The Center is not responsible for lost or damaged items. Please refrain from your child wearing jewelry such as necklaces and bracelets as the center will not be responsible if these items are lost or broken.
_____ 14. INFORMATION UPDATES: Patrons must ensure that the program is informed of any changes in address, phone number, employment location, emergency contact or changes in family status that affect the child’s well being. If the changes are not annotated, the sponsor’s supervisor will be notified in the case of an emergency.
_____ 15. ACCIDENTS: Accidents will be reported on AF Form 1187, Youth Flight Accident Report. Parents will be required to read and sign the report. Parents will be informed immediately when their child is injured (including minor injuries) or when there is an unusual change in behavior and/or accident/incident we feel is necessary.
_____ 16. GUIDANCE: Children are welcome to benefit from the materials and activities provided for their daily enjoyment. Our staff will make every effort to guide children into appropriate behaviors when there are guidance issues. To ensure appropriate guidance for children, the program will arrange for parent conferences to develop a plan of action to support the child’s development of appropriate social behavior. When children exhibit unsafe or harmful behaviors to children or adults, parents may be called and asked to remove the child from the program. In some instances, children may not be permitted back the following day. Should your child continue to exhibit harmful or unsafe behaviors, and/or the CDC manager or trainer determines your child would be more successful in a different environment, your contract may be terminated with minimal notice. If your child has been suspended from the program, you are responsible for finding alternate care during that time. The program maintains a list of Family Child Care providers and will use this to assist you in finding alternate child care arrangements for that time. Refunds are not granted for disciplinary suspensions. For more information on guidance, please refer to the CDC Guidance Policy. Your support and reinforcement of safe behaviors will help staff and your child experience a more enjoyable, safe and rewarding time!