Child Care

Child Care services available aboard Camp Lejeune include; full-time care, hourly care, Saturday evening care, special events and special needs care at the Child Development Center.  Call the Child and Youth Information line at 910-450-0553/0554/0555.

• Priority I: Active Duty single or dual military families. Child must reside with the sponsoring parent.
• Priority II: Active Duty sponsor with a full-time employed spouse or a student spouse attending a minimum 12 credit hours at an accredited college or university, (on-line classes will not be considered for the creditable hours), or full-time employed civilians aboard the Camp Lejeune area with a full-time working or student spouse.
• Priority III: Active Duty or civilian sponsor aboard Camp Lejeune with a part-time employed or a part-time student spouse.
• Priority IV: Active Duty sponsor not assigned to Camp Lejeune with a full-time working or full-time student spouse residing in this area.
• Priority V: Contractors employed aboard Camp Lejeune; retired military sponsors

The More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program is a high-quality pre-k program that prepares children for success in school. Pre-kindergarten is a research-proven strategy for school readiness.

Children served by More at Four attend a full school day, full school year program that meets high-quality state standards. The program is community based. It is integrated with other early childhood programs in the community and administered at the county or regional level. Children participating in More at Four may be served in classrooms in the public schools or licensed child care centers.

Child Care

Child Care services available aboard Camp Lejeune include; full-time care, hourly care, and special events care.  Accommodations can be made for children with special needs in coordination with the Inclusion Action Team. Call 910-450-0553/0554/0555.

Priority I: Single or dual active duty military service members, single or dual DoD civilians, wounded warriors, and surviving spouses of military members who died from a combat related incident.  With the exception of combat related wounded warriors, ALL eligible parents or caregivers residing with the child are employed outside the home.

Priority II: Active Duty military service members, DoD civilians, wounded warriors, and surviving spouse of military members who died from a combat related incident with a spouse or same-sex domestic partner who is actively seeking employment outside the home. 

Priority III:  Active duty military service members, DoD civilians, wounded warriors, and surviving spouses of military members who died from a combat related incident with a spouse or same-sex domestic partner who is enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution.

Space Available: Active duty military service members with non-working spouse, DoD civilians with non-working spouses or same-sex domestic partners, eligible employees of DoD contractors, federal employees from non-DoD agencies, and military retirees.

This program offers child care for military families in crisis. No charges are made to the family. Qualifying situations include medical emergencies, hospitalization or surgery of service member or spouse, incapacitation of family member, early birth of a second or subsequent child if spouse is not in the area, recuperation from illness, attendance at counseling sessions, attendance at Marriage Enrichment or Parenting workshops, or severe emotional pressure diagnosed by a mental health care provider. Eligible families must contact a unit key coordinator, unit commander, chaplain, Naval Hospital physician/social worker, or MCCS New Parent Support Program nurse/social worker for assistance. These persons will contact Children & Youth Programs. 

This program offers child care for military families in crisis. No charges are made to the family. Qualifying situations include medical emergencies, hospitalization or surgery of service member or spouse, incapacitation of family member, early birth of a second or subsequent child if spouse is not in the area, recuperation from illness, or law enforcement involvement with a family due to a domestic issue. The service is designed to keep military children out of the foster care system until extended family can assume care for children or until the crisis resolves, but not more than 2-3 days.  The service is not intended to usurp a service member’s Family Care Plan, but rather augment it when stated plans have fallen apart and a couple of days of emergency child care is needed to re-group in order to avoid foster care placement.  Services are generally coordinated with Child Protective Services, Naval Medical Center personnel, or unit commanders on behalf of families in need.

Full-time care, part-time care, hourly care, extended hours, special needs or respite care is available in On or Off Base Family Child Care homes. Homes are also available for Saturday evening and special events care.

The Family Child Care (FCC) Administrative Office is located in Bldg LCH-4012 Butler Dr. This program refers to an authorized provider in a family housing unit, caring for six or less children on a regular basis for more than 10 hours a week. Occasional baby-sitting is not considered a Family Child Care home. Family Child Care Providers undergo an orientation process, a complete background check, on-going training in child development and they must hold a current certificate in infant/child/adult CPR and First Aid.

Fees are negotiable between provider and patron. Family Child Care Staff provide oversight, technical assistance and visit the family child care homes unannounced once a month. Family Child Care homes offer full-time, part-time, hourly, extended hours and respite care (in emergency situations). Contact the Resource and Referral Office for referrals to the Family Child Care Program.

Full-time care, part-time care, and hourly care, is available in DoD Certified Family Child Care homes. Homes may also provide care on weekends or for special events. The Family Child Care (FCC) Administrative Office is located in Bldg. LCH-4012 in Midway Park. This program certifies and monitors authorized providers in a family housing unit, caring for six or less children on a regular basis for more than 10 hours a week. Occasional baby-sitting is not considered a Family Child Care home. Family Child Care Providers undergo an orientation process, a complete background check, on-going training in child development and they must hold a current certificate in infant/child/adult CPR and First Aid.

Fees are negotiable between provider and patron. A Family Child Care Manager provides oversight, technical assistance, and monitoring of family child care homes each month. Certified Family Child Care homes are listed online.

Availability 

Child Care services available aboard Camp Lejeune include: full-time care, hourly care, special events and special needs care at the Child Development Centers.

When the Child Development Centers (CDC) are at maximum capacity, children will be placed on the waiting list by the CYP Resource and Referral Office. This may be done prior to transfer by providing a DoD Request For Care, Form 2606, and a copy of your orders to the CYP Resource and Referral office.

Costs

Fees for the centers are based on total family income per the Military Child Care Act, Public Las 101-189.

Programs Offered

Following is a list of child development programs offered at Camp Lejeune:

* Fees for the Child Development Centers and School Age Program are based on total family income and are subject to annual changes.

Eligibility

Child Development Centers - Children six weeks through 12 years of age of military and Department of Defense civilian personnel, reservists on active duty or during inactive personnel training and DoD contractors are eligible for services. All immunizations must be up to date or waived due to religious affiliation upon enrolling your child in a Children and Youth Program.

Registration

To register, parents must provide:

• Child's shot records
• Sponsor's current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)/pay stub
• Power of Attorney if sponsor is deployed
• NAVMC 10922 (Application for BAQ) or copy of dependent data page from the Marine Corps Total Force System, if claiming single parent status
• Family Care Plan is required (dual or single active duty)

Sponsor must sign forms to complete registration.

Availability

Child Care services available aboard Camp Lejeune include; full-time care, hourly care, and special events care.  Accommodations can be made for children with special needs in coordination with the Inclusion Action Team. Requests for care through MilitaryChildCare.com are processed by the CYP Resource and Referral office.  Waiting lists are maintained when sites are at maximum capacity.  For information on a request, including waiting list status, contact Child & Youth Program’s Resource and Referral office at (910) 450-0553/54/55 Monday through Friday (excluding federal holidays) from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

Costs

Fees for military child development programs are published annually by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (M&RA). The published fees are used by all programs in the DoD child development system of care.  Families using military child development programs pay a portion of the total cost of care, with the remaining amount subsidized with appropriated funds, within federal guidelines, and supplemented, as necessary, with non-appropriated fund revenue from sales from the Exchange and other services offered through Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS).  Fees for retired military personnel, DoD contractors, and non-DoD federal employees are not subsidized with appropriated funds, meaning that families in those categories pay the full cost of care.  All other fees are based on total family income and are adjusted annually.  Hourly child care rates are adjusted annually.

Fees include breakfast, lunch and snack for children attending at meal service times.

Programs Offered

• Full-time Child Care ages 6 weeks old to 5 years (not yet in kindergarten)
• Hourly Child Care (space permitting, 2-hour minimum, billed in ½ hour increments)
• Inclusive Care for children with special needs
• School Age Care for children kindergarten through sixth grade (before, after, out-of-school time care); transportation to and from DoDEA schools is provided
• Family Child Care in Certified Family Child Care Homes
• Emergency Child Care

Eligibility

Active duty military service members, DoD civilians, wounded warriors and surviving spouses of military members who died from a combat-related incident, DoD contractors, federal employees from non-DoD agencies, and military retirees are eligible to enroll children in Child & Youth Program services. 

Registration

To register, parents must provide:

• Current Identification
• Child's current immunization records
• Health Assessment completed by medical professional (within 30 days of start date)
• Sponsor's current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) and civilian pay stubs
• NAVMC 10922 (Application for BAQ) or copy of dependent data page from the Marine

Corps Total Force System, if claiming single parent status

Additional documents require parent signature at the time of registration. Registration can be completed at Building TT 113 at the Tarawa Terrace II CDC Resource and Referral office. The office is open from 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays or other authorized closures.

The Camp Lejeune Children and Youth Programs Branch offer affordable options to meet the needs of our military families. After registering, you have access to the following programs:

• Full-time childcare for ages 6 weeks to 12 years
• Hourly Care
• Family Child Care
• Before/After School Care
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America Programs at Youth Pavilions
• Kindergarten through 12 years old.
• Before school care (5:45 - 8 a.m.) and take the children to school.
• After school care (2:30 - 6 p..m.) and pick them up from school.
  Breakfast, lunch (on full days), and snack

Staff plans activities:

• Wood working
• Sewing
• Fine arts
• Science experiments
• Assists with homework (Power Hour)
• Triple Play (Mind, Body, and Soul) Fitness
• Healthy Habits
• Affiliated with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America 
• Large playground area
• Field trips on full days
• Kids for Saving Earth:  educating children on the importance of “GOING GREEN”

The Youth Pavilions (offering school age care) promote a safe place for children. Programs are designed to provide leisure activities for school age children in kindergarten to 12 years of age. Crafts, games, food experiences, homework assistance, and field trips are regular activities your child will encounter. All programming is developed with consideration of the desires of the participants and with respect to the cultural diversity and the familial values of each member. We are a 4-H Club.

Patterned after the successful Conscious Discipline model, the Youth Pavilions utilize an emotional intelligence program consisting of strategies for responding rather than reacting to life events. Through responding, conflict moments are transformed into cooperative learning opportunities. This research-based program will increase academic achievement, decrease problem behaviors, and improve the quality of relationships with students, teachers, parents, and coworkers.

School Age Care Options for 2020-2021 School Year
In response to the child care needs of service members with school age children who need child care on the days when not in school, Tarawa Terrace Youth Pavilion will offer a School Out/Seasonal Camp designed to support children attending Onslow County Schools. Families can request the Mon-Wed option (for children attending in-person school on Thurs and Fri) or the Wed-Fri option (for children attending in-person school on Mon and Tues). This program offers recreational child care for children ages 5-10 and is not intended to serve as a substitute for instruction (11-12 year old children with special needs may be served as well). The facility lacks wireless internet, and online learning activities may need to be completed at home in the evenings. Children from other schools/districts (other than Onslow County) may request care, but the cohort schedule and teacher workday calendar matches the Onslow County School calendar only. This program currently runs through December. Decisions regarding services for 2021 are pending and subject to change. Spaces are limited.

Before and after school care for children attending Camp Lejeune Community Schools is being offered at New River Child Development Center and Stone Street Youth Pavilion. Additional care may be offered at Heroes Manor I CDC and Tarawa Terrace I CDC in an effort to serve more families. Before/after school care for children attending Camp Lejeune Community Schools may be requested on militarychildcare.com. Please select either New River CDC (if attending Delalio Elementary) or Stone Street Youth Pavilion (if attending any other CLCS).

Single active duty and dual active duty service members receive priority placement per Department of Defense priority placement criteria, though other eligible family types (such as active duty with a civilian working spouse) may also request care and will be offered a spot if available. Fees are based on total family income for each program.

Current hours of operation are 6:45 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Hours of operation may expand based on staffing capabilities. Care for mildly ill children is not offered, and children who are subject to quarantine (due to being a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case) are not able to attend during periods of quarantine. Fees are pro-rated for periods of exclusion for quarantine. On teacher workdays, care will be offered the full day.

To request a spot for either the full-day school out camp or for before/after school, go to militarychildcare.com and submit a request for care.