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Child Care

Child care availability for newcomers 
Q: We're a MIL-to-MIL couple with children and we got 20 hours of free child care, but the service is offered at Area 1 and we're over here at Area F with no transportation and taxi service. Can the free child care be provided on this side of the base?

A: The 20 free hours of PCS care is available at both CDCs (Area 1 and F)
and with the base's 'school age' program.  All services are subject to availability based on demand for both PCS child care and normal hourly child care. 

The CDC in Area F is definitely more convenient for parents who are staying in lodging and attending the Right Start on the flightline area.  When space is available in both locations, the parents have the choice. However, while we try to accommodate everyone, space is not always available.  The option for the parent is to accept the care in another location or use the 20 hours at another time (PCS care is valid for up to 60 days after arrival).  The best way to secure the PCS or hourly child care at the location required is to request and schedule it in advance. 

We encourage sponsors (and it is taught at sponsor training) to contact their inbound members and have them schedule their child care in advance of arrival.  While it is not always easy to predict schedules, advanced reservations are the best way to secure care at your desired location and on your desired day.  Spaces reserved for PCS care are held prior to releasing them for hourly care, but it is not always easy to accommodate walk-in customers. 


Limited child care options
Q: Child care is difficult to find on base and there are very few options. Can the base offer any more help? Also, Child Development Center openings are not always available unless you are military-to-military or military-to-employed spouse, why is that?

A: The Child Development Center's first priority is to ensure that dual and single military families are taken care of because they directly impact the wing mission. If families do not fall into that category, we encourage families to call the CDC each morning to see if hourly care is available. If a child is sick, the family is on vacation, member is TDY, etc. that frees up a space within the CDC that could be used for hourly care. If families are gone for a long period of time, they can sub-lease their slot to another family. If that is not an option, we encourage families to use the Co-Op Care program, Italian Asilos, co-op systems within government rental housing program (GRHP) communities, friends or Italian nannies/babysitters. 


Childcare at the Dragon Fitness Center
Q: Can the Dragon Fitness Center provide child care, especially for spouses of deployed members? 

A: The Dragon Fitness Center was designed based upon a base population of two fighter squadrons. The base population has increased, but the fitness center was not expanded to meet the increasing demands. As a result, the Dragon Fitness Center does not currently have enough room to add a child play area. Additionally, the fitness center staff is not certified to provide child care, and any full service care where parents do not have line-of-sight requires the facility, programs, and operations meet all child development center/child care certification requirements. Parents requiring this service are encouraged to use the Falcon Fitness Center, located in Area 2, which has two child play areas for this purpose. 


Co-Op childcare hours
Q: Why can't the base offer better Co-Op childcare hours?
A: If hours were extended past 9 a.m. to noon Monday thru Friday, the scope of the program would change. Meaning, the Co-Op would become a third child development center, and an updated waiver, new facility and staff would be needed. The base will continue operations within the three-hour operational standard. The purpose of the Co-Op is to supplement short-term, unmet hourly care needs and provide socialization opportunities and free time for spouses. To learn more about the Co-Op program or to arrange child care, call DSN 632-5630. 


Child Development Center teacher/student ratios
Q: Can the Child Development Center teacher to student ratios be lowered for the children? 

A: The Child Development Center ratios are established at the Air Force-level and are based on the appropriate amount of supervision required per a designated amount of children. When the CDC faces challenges in a classroom or with a particular child, it does temporarily increase staff in the room to provide additional hands-on interaction, provided it has the staff available. 


Child Development Center rates
Q: How are Child Development Center rates factored? 

A: Child care rates are highly subsidized by the Air Force and are based upon the total family income of the family and not by rank of the military/civilian member. Depending on what category families fall in, a family could be paying as low as $1.17 to $2.43 an hour for child care. The rates include supervised care, meals, formula, and any other expenses (excluding diapers) which are considerably lower than what you can find anywhere else. 


Aviano Youth Program sports
Q: Can Aviano Youth Program sports programs be increased? 

A: The youth center pursues every option to place all youth on appropriate teams during the sports season and create new teams when there is no significant impact to play/practice for each child. The AYP will continue to provide continuous feedback to leadership on wait list and options to ensure as many youth as possible may participate. 


Youth summer activities
Q: What kind of summer activities might be opening up to children in the 12-year-old age-range as they are considered too young to be home alone at that age and the youth center doesn't offer full-time activities for that age group? The recreation center is available to them at 1 p.m., but what are children of two working parents supposed to do in the meantime? 

A: Youth age 12 are eligible for the school-age program which hosts various weekly summer camps and includes field trips, swimming, bowling, tournaments and themed activities/events, Monday thru Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. For youth age 13-15, the youth center offers the option of weekly summer camps, Monday thru Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., to include two meals, multiple events, and trips. Contact the Aviano Youth Programs at DSN 632-7575 for more information.