Child Development Centers

Give Parents
A Break

Department of the Air Force Child Development Centers are designed to provide a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment for children and are uniquely designed to accommodate each child’s developmental level. DAF Child Development Centers offer the following services:

Full Day/Weekly Child Care

Provides up to 50 hours of weekly child care (no more than 10 hours of care each day).

Hourly Care

May be offered to support short-term needs on the installation.

Part-Day Enrichment (PDE) Program

Provides parents, who do not need full time child care, the opportunity for their children to participate in an early childhood experience.

Give Parents A Break (GPAB)

Sponsored by the Air Force Aid Society GPAB provides child care for eligible parents who are subject to unique stresses due to the nature of military life including deployments, remote tours of duty, and extended working hours.

Child care eligibility is contingent on the status of the sponsor. Eligible patrons as outlined in DoDI 6060.02, including active duty military, DoD civilian employees, guard or reserve on active duty orders, active duty coast guard members, combat-related wounded warriors in an active duty status, Gold Star spouses of military members who died from a combat-related incident, those acting in loco parentis for the dependent child of an otherwise eligible patron, eligible employees of DoD contractors, and others who may be authorized on a space-available basis. In the case of unmarried, legally separated parents with joint custody or divorced parents with joint custody, children or youth are eligible for child care only when they reside with the eligible sponsor at least 25 percent of the time in a month. If granted child care during active duty status, children of combat-related wounded warriors may remain in child care until their dependent child reaches age twelve. Children of combat-related wounded warriors who are medically retired as a result of combat-related injuries may remain in the existing program until the child(ren) is (are) no longer age-eligible.

Military families will complete a Request for Care at militarychildcare.com, a Department of Defense website for military families seeking child care. This site will allow families to search for and request care from a wide range of military-operated and military-subsidized child care options across all Services to include Child Development Centers, School Age Care Programs, and Family Child Care Homes. Families can expect standardized procedures for effective waiting list management, expedited placement of children and youth into available programs, and enhanced daily operations for programs.

Visit militarychilcare.com >

Fees are based on the DoD and Department of the Air Force annual fee policy and on total family income. Parent fees may not be adjusted more than once a year.

See Child Care Fees Chart >

Installations must follow priorities in accordance with DoDI 6060.02.

See DOD Child Care Priorities Chart >

Accreditation helps families recognize quality early learning programs and feel comfortable knowing that their children are receiving a high-quality, research-based education that will prepare them for future success. All CDCs must be accredited by a national accrediting agency in accordance with 10 USC Ch 88 (Public Law) and DoDI 6060.02. With the exception of RAF Croughton and Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base, DAF CDCs are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC Accreditation assists CDC Staff to develop a shared understanding and commitment to quality. Research shows a direct correlation between high-quality early learning and children’s positive long-term outcomes in life, including increased educational attainment, healthier lifestyles, and more successful careers. RAF Croughton and Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base are accredited by National Accreditation Commission (NAC).

The military equivalent of state licensing, DoD Certification represents verified compliance with standards regarding fire, health, safety, developmental programming, child abuse prevention, funding, and staff training. Our Child and Youth Programs are certified by DoD each year. As a result of the strict oversight and adherence to standards, along with the trained staff and quality curriculum, our programs have been recognized as a model for the nation.