Child Care

Child and Youth Programs provide Child Development and recreational services for children 6 weeks to 12 years of age. The Child Development Center provides full and part day care for children 6 weeks to Kindergarten.  The School Age Center provides before and after school care for children Kindergarten through 12 years old.  Call 904-542-5529.

The Child Development Center (CDC)  provides full-time and drop-in care.  The CDC is a full-time care facility and comprises the majority of care provided and it includes breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack.  The CDC offers child care services for children aged 6 weeks through 5 years old, with care including full-time, hourly (drop-in) and State of Florida Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program. Registration for programs can be made at each individual site.   

There are waiting lists for child care for children aged 6 weeks through 5 years old. Military members can place their child on the wait list through the www.militarychildcare.com .  

There is one CDC with a capacity for 302 children.  There are other off-base CDH providers, as well.  Contact the CDC for more information.

Costs

Fees for all programs are based on total family income; all patrons must provide the CYP with financial information to determine their fees.  

Eligibility for Care 

The status of the sponsor determines the eligibility of a child to enroll in a Navy CYP. The child must be a dependent and in the legal custody of the military or civilian (DoD) member who is requesting care to be eligible for services. Legal custody is defined as residing with the military member or DoD civilian sponsor or custody having been assigned to the military member or DoD civilian by a court of law. Full-time child care services will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis according to priority levels listed below:

(1) Active duty single parents with custody and active duty dual military parents.  This top priority status will apply to each child only one time during each tour of duty assignment to an installation. Exceptions to the one time priority status may be granted on a case-by-case basis dependent on TAD orders, etc.  Additional categories of children who fall into the top priority status and at the top of the priority 1 list are:

• Wounded Warriors – verify enrollment in the Safe Harbor Program (or other service equivalent) as wounded in a combat zone.  This category shall be charged Category 1 parent fees while in treatment period regardless of family income
• Fallen Warriors – verify sponsor deceased while in combat status.  These family members are grandfathered into eligibility until the child(ren) age out of the child care system.
• Individual Augmentees (IA)- verify official duty orders identifying IA status
• Ombudsmen (performing official duties) – retain copy of Ombudsmen appointment letter from Commanding Officer.  Care shall be provided free of charge while performing official duties.

(2) All other active duty personnel with a full-time working spouse or spouse who is a full-time student.  Spouses who are unemployed, or who become unemployed while child is enrolled, may be included in this priority, however, they must show proof of full-time employment or enrollment in school full-time within 30 days of placement in the CYP.  Children of CNRSE Navy CYP employees will fall into this category if the employee has been employed by that program for a minimum of 6 continuous months.  Employees may be paid from either appropriated or non-appropriated funds. The installation Commanding Officer may decide on a case-by-case basis whether a spouse employed on a full time basis but working within the home or a full-time student attending on-line college courses qualifies for a second priority classification. CDH providers do not qualify for care in CDC except in emergencies. An exception may be made to allow CDH providers’ children to attend state-funded pre-kindergarten classes in the CDC.

(3) Reservists on active duty or reservists in training with a full-time working spouse or spouse who is a full-time student.  A reservist on extended active duty (i.e., over 90 days) will move up to priority level 1 or 2, as applicable to the family situation. Other reservists are eligible for care on a case-by-case basis and only if space is available (i.e. Reservist reporting for weekend drills/duty on a Friday would be eligible for drop-in care if space is available, or a two week reservist fulfilling annual drill requirements would be eligible for full-time care during that two week period of time if space is available.). 

(4) Installation DoD civilian personnel paid from appropriated or non-appropriated funds with a full-time working spouse or spouse who is a full-time student.

(5) Full-time DoD contract employees, as applicable, with a full-time working spouse or spouse who is a full-time student. 

(6) Military retirees’ children are only eligible for care in CYP programs when a specific written waiver citing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2000, Sec 1799, has been approved by CNIC CYP.

(7)  Other tenants on the installation, such as Department of Homeland Security, to include but not limited to, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Justice, to include, but not limited to, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and all other personnel working on the installation that are not military, employed/contracted by the Department of Defense, active duty reservists of Coast Guard are not eligible for enrollment in the CYP.

Waiting List

Waiting lists exist for ages 6 weeks - 5 years old. Parents must update their child monthly to remain active on the waiting list. Referrals for child care spaces in CDH and CDC are made from the waiting lists.

The following is the priority system for all Navy childcare programs which support work related care for children birth through 12 years of age.

a. Priority 1.  The order of precedence from highest to lowest within Priority 1 is as follows:

    (1) Priority 1A - Combat-related wounded warriors;

    (2) Priority 1B - Child and Youth Program Staff;

    (3) priority 1C - Single Military Service members on active duty or dual active duty service members couples;

    (4) Priority 1D - Active Duty Service members with a working spouse;

    (5) Priority 1E - Single DoD civilian employees paid from appropriated (APF) or non appropriated funds (NAF) or dual DoD Civilian employee couples;

    (6) Priority 1F - DoD civilians with a working spouse who is not a DoD civilian;

    (7) Priority 1G - Surviving spouses of military members who died from a combat related incident;

b.  Priority 2.  The second priority shall be given equally to active duty Military Service members, DoD civilians paid from APF and NAF, surviving spouses of military members who died from combat related incident, where a non working spouse is actively seeking employment.  The status of actively seeking employment must be verified every 90 days.

c.  Priority 3.  The third priority shall be given equally to active duty Military Service members, DoD civilians paid from APF and NAF, surviving spouses of military members who died from combat related incident where a non-working spouse is enrolled in a post-secondary institution.  The status of post-secondary enrollment must be verified every 90 days.

d.  Space Available:  After meeting the needs of parents in Priorities 1,2, and 3, programs shall support the need for care for other eligible patrons, such as active duty Military Service members with non-working spouses, eligible employees f DoD contractors, Federal Employees from non-DoD agencies and military retirees on a space available basis.

Hourly Care

Hourly (drop-in) care is available on a space available basis in the CDC, SAC and CDH programs.  Parents will need to first pre-register their children in the program they would like to utilize for hourly care.  After registration is complete parents can go on line using the link www.NavyMWRJacksonville.com to reserve hourly care.  Reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance.  Hourly care is limited to 25 hours per week in the CDC and 10 hours per week in School Age Care (SAC).

Respite Care

Respite care is not available but care for special needs children is available after review by the Inclusion Action Team.

The Child Development Home (CDH) Program consists of certified providers who provide child care services for children in their own home.  CDH providers care for children aged 6 weeks - 12 years old.

The School Age Care (SAC) Program is held at the Youth Activities Center and is available for children attending kindergarten through age 12. Care is provided before and after school, transportation to several schools in the community is provided.  Requests can be made on militarychildcare.com. Military Child Care - School Age Care

NAS JAX Child and Youth Programs are comprised of the Child Development Center, the Child Development Home Program, the School Age Care Program and the Youth Activities Center.  All programs are inspected by CNIC yearly and must maintain DoD certification to operate.

Children must meet all eligibility requirements to participate in all programs including; age requirements and proof of military dependency.

Goal

To maximize young children’s opportunities to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be prepared for kindergarten and begin school ready to learn.

Curriculum

Naval Air Station Jacksonville CDC utilizes The Creative Curriculum. Teachers write learning goals and develop lesson plans, while keeping the interests of the children in mind. Teachers are able to incorporate educational resources from many different sources.

Performance Standards

Alongside the instructional resources, the Florida Partnership for School Readiness Performance Standards will be used as a framework to provide a high quality, developmentally appropriate program that meets all areas of a child’s development:  physical health, approaches to learning, social and emotional development, language and communication, cognitive development/general knowledge, and motor development.  The standards are not a curriculum in and of themselves; rather they can be used to guide decisions about curriculum, materials and the classroom environment. Performance Standards are available for review by parents upon request.

Class Size/Teacher Qualifications

VPK classes will have 20 children and 2 teachers in our full-time program  (VPK with wrap-around care) Teachers have earned a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and completed a Literacy Training Course.

Fees

• Parents do not pay for VPK Program services. 
• Parent fees apply only to non-VPK program services (the “wrap-around” care provided for full-time children).  Fees are due on the 1^st and 15^th of the month.
• Fees are determined based on total family income and will be reduced during.  Full-time fees will be in effect during November Break, Christmas Break, Spring Break, and summer vacation.
•  Enrollment in the full-time CDC program does not provide for unpaid vacation time, all children who are enrolled in the program are charged for November Break, Christmas Break, Spring Break and summers.

Schedules & Activities

VPK Full-Time Program (with wrap-around care) hours are 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m., Monday – Friday. Your child will be involved in small group time, large group time, discovery centers (Science, Math, Dramatic Play, Computer, Library, Blocks, Art, Manipulative) and Outside Play.

How VPK Differ From Pre-School

• Children going from a VPK class to Kindergarten will be required to participate in statewide kindergarten screening when the child enters kindergarten. 
• The VPK class ratio is 1:10, each class contains 18 students and 2 teachers, the Preschool class ratio is 1:12, each class contains 24 students and 2 teachers.
• VPK class requires teachers to have a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential.