Plan provides in-home care

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nicole Leidholm
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Parents have more options than they may realize for child care at Travis Air Force Base, California.

Many people are familiar with the three child development centers on base. Family Child Care, an alternate option, provides care for infants to school-aged children from one of 18 licensed in-home providers on and off base.

"The FCC is another option for families to place their child for care," said Yvonne Lawrence, 60th Force Support Squadron FCC coordinator. "It's a smaller ratio that's more home like."

FCC providers can have no more than six children, Lawrence said. Of those six, only two can be under 24-months and any of their own children under eight count towards the total number of children.

"All providers are first aid and CPR certified and must pass an extensive background check prior to taking the FCC orientation class," Lawrence said. "Providers must pass inspections and go through training with us to be certified."

After completing orientation training, which covers child abuse awareness training and safe food handling, providers must complete 15 modules in their first year as a provider, according to Misty Trask, Travis FCC provider.

  "We have monthly training, as well as monthly inspections that are unannounced," Trask said. "After that first year, we also have unannounced yearly inspections and visits from public health and the fire department."

The unannounced inspections ensure providers keep their homes in inspection order, Trask said.

Each home is required to comply with strict Air Force guidelines for the health, safety, food program and developmental needs of children, Lawrence said. The FCC office also works with providers and gives them everything they need to run their businesses.

"We provide them with 98 percent of what they need, such as toys, art activities and any health or safety items," Lawrence said.

FCC providers run their homes as personal businesses. They determine their own fees and contract policies. Under Air Force Instruction 34-276 Family Child Care Programs, FCC providers are private entrepreneurs and base officials may not regulate the fees they charge for their services. Each home listed is FCC licensed and is in compliance with those licensed standards.

"With the smaller ratio of children, we are able to have more independent time with each age group and more time teaching them," Trask said. "Children are my passion. I love to watch them grow but I also enjoy being there for other military families."

For a list of current providers visit travisfss.com/fcc/, and contact the individual providers to check for openings. For questions regarding FCC or to become a FCC provider, contact Yvonne Lawrence at 424-4596 or 424-8104.