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CYP Guidebook for Hourly Care



                                            Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................. 1
    1.      DEFINING HOURLY CARE ............................................................................................................................ 1
    2.      NEED FOR HOURLY CARE ............................................................................................................................ 2
    3.      STRUCTURE OF THE GUIDEBOOK.................................................................................................................. 3
HOURLY CARE GUIDANCE .............................................................................................................................. 4
    1.      WHO CAN USE HOURLY CARE .................................................................................................................... 4
    2.      HOW OFTEN HOURLY CARE CAN BE USED .................................................................................................. 4
    3.      MAKING RESERVATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 5
    4.      IDENTIFYING SPACE FOR HOURLY CARE ...................................................................................................... 6
    5.      MANAGING OVER ENROLLMENT .................................................................................................................. 7
    6.      HANDLING SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUES .............................................................................................................. 7
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................................................................................................... 8
    1.      CYP DIRECTOR ........................................................................................................................................... 8
    2.      T&C SPECIALIST ......................................................................................................................................... 9
    3.      CYP LEAD ................................................................................................................................................ 10
    4.      CYP PROGRAM ASSISTANT ....................................................................................................................... 10
    5.      CYP OPERATIONS CLERK .......................................................................................................................... 10
CDC CLASSROOM STRATEGIES ................................................................................................................... 15
    1.      PLANNING AND PREPARATION ................................................................................................................... 15
    2.      THE HOURLY CARE VISIT: CREATING RELATIONSHIPS ............................................................................... 20
    3.      REFLECT AND DOCUMENT ......................................................................................................................... 24
SAC STRATEGIES .............................................................................................................................................. 25
    1.      PLANNING AND PREPARATION ................................................................................................................... 25
    2.      THE HOURLY CARE VISIT: CREATING RELATIONSHIPS ............................................................................... 27
    3.      REFLECT AND DOCUMENT ......................................................................................................................... 28
TRAINING TIPS .................................................................................................................................................. 29
    1.      TRAINING.................................................................................................................................................. 29
    2.      CDC CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS, COACHING, AND MODELING................................................................ 32
APPENDIX A: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ..................................................................................... 35
APPENDIX B: RESERVATION LOG ............................................................................................................... 39
APPENDIX C: RESERVATION CHECKLIST ................................................................................................. 43
APPENDIX D: AVAILABLE SPACE TOOL INSTRUCTIONS ...................................................................... 47
APPENDIX E: RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................. 51
APPENDIX F: DAILY FORMS .......................................................................................................................... 57




                                                                                                                                                                       i
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Introduction



                                  Introduction
The Hourly Care Guidebook and accompanying video are training tools developed to support
Child and Youth Program (CYP) Professionals with successful implementation of the hourly
care policy. CYP Professionals must work as a team to coordinate all aspects of hourly care in
order for it to run smoothly within the program. Everyone has an important role to play—from
CYP Operations Clerks who have initial contact with families, to CYP Directors who develop
procedures to support implementation of the policy, to CYP Professionals in the classrooms who
integrate hourly children into the daily routine, and CYP Leads and Training and Curriculum
(T&C) Specialists who provide support and training in classroom management.

This guidebook and the accompanying video are based on accreditation standards from the
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Council on
Accreditation (COA). By incorporating strategies from the guidebook and video, you are laying
the foundation to ensure that the hourly care experience is positive for all children, families, and
CYP Professionals. As such, Navy CYPs will continue to provide and enhance high-quality
programming for military children and families.


1.     DEFINING HOURLY CARE
Hourly care is an important service offered by the Navy CYP that supports military families who
have an occasional need for child care. While “drop-in” care has historically been offered
throughout the Navy, the hourly care program is different in several important ways:

  •   Use of vacancies as well as absences. Every day, CYPs have spaces that are not filled due
      to absences (e.g., spaces for children who are enrolled in the program but who are not
      present that day) and vacancies (e.g., open spaces). While absenteeism is often a result of
      children being sick or on vacation, vacancies can be attributed to reasons such as spaces not
      being filled in a timely manner and a lack of children on wait lists. While programs have
      systems in place for tracking vacancies, the hourly care program provides a system for
      predicting absences so parents can make reservations 30 days in advance. Until now,
      predicting absences has not been possible and parents could only make reservations on the
      same day that care was needed.
  •   Acceptance of reservations up to 30 days in advance by using the Available Space
      Tool. The Available Space Tool was developed by Commander, Navy Installations
      Command (CNIC) for the specific purpose of identifying spaces for the hourly care
      program. The tool provides calculations for (a) program-specific vacancy rates based on

                                                                                                   1
Introduction


        predicted enrollment data and (b) absences based on Navy-wide trends. As such, families
        can rely on the Navy CYP to provide child care on the dates and times of the reservation
        and do not need to call the morning of the visit to determine whether space is available.
        With the tool, it is possible to accurately predict absences and accept and guarantee
        reservations in advance.
    •   Provision of hourly care to any eligible family, regardless of the reason. Hourly care
        must be made available to all families who are eligible to receive care in the Child
        Development Center (CDC) or School Age Care (SAC) program. Reservations are taken
        on a “first-come, first serve” basis. The priorities used to place full-time children are not
        relevant for hourly care families. In addition, the reason families request care is irrelevant;
        parents can use hourly care for any reason. Information on how often parents can use the
        hourly care program has been incorporated into the hourly care policy in an effort to
        equalize access for all families. Guidance related to this and other policy requirements is
        described in the Hourly Care Guidance chapter.
    •   Mandatory implementation by CDC and SAC programs. The hourly care program must
        be implemented by CDC and SAC programs. To ensure compliance, implementation of the
        hourly care program and use of the Available Space Tool will be added as an inspection
        item for fiscal year 2010.


2.       NEED FOR HOURLY CARE
There is growing demand for occasional child care for families living across the United States
and abroad. Given the demands placed on military families, the need for occasional care can be
particularly relevant among this population. For instance, military families may live away from
their extended families and not have other support systems to assist with child care. When a
military member is deployed, one parent must assume all child care responsibilities. In addition,
military members who are on temporary assigned duty (TAD) or only have their children during
certain weeks of the year because of separation or divorce may need additional assistance with
daily child care.

Because hourly care can be used in any situation and for any reason, it ultimately helps meet the
child care needs of parents who require care other than full-time care. This includes parents who
have an intermittent need for child care because of work schedules, doctor visits, personal
illness, and illness within the family. Hourly care also enables stay-at-home parents to take
advantage of quality child care programs for their children, and all parents to tend to personal
needs such as shopping, taking a nap, or having lunch with friends.

In addition, some parents may need support as they cope with daily or unique stressors, and
hourly care can serve as respite and temporary relief from some of the stress and burden. Respite


2
Introduction


care can directly contribute to reductions in stress and related mental/physical health problems,
as well as increase the quality of life for family members. In addition to hourly care as respite
care, parents may need hourly care during emergencies.

The hourly care policy was put into effect to address these challenges and meet the needs of
additional military families. Because CYPs offer high-quality programming, employ
professionally trained early childhood and youth experts, and are tasked with supporting families
to facilitate accomplishment of the Department of Defense (DoD) mission, an ideal solution to
the provision of occasional care for military families is to leverage the resources offered by
CYPs.

CNIC is dedicated to providing CYP Professionals with the resources needed to ensure that the
hourly care initiative is a beneficial experience for everyone. This includes the provision of this
guidebook and the accompanying video, as well as other tools referenced in the guidebook
developed for the specific goal of ensuring that the hourly care program is a valuable and
successful experience.


3.     STRUCTURE OF THE GUIDEBOOK
This guidebook was written to accompany the hourly care video and is intended to be used as a
training and reference tool for CYP Program Assistants, CYP Leads, and T&C Specialists, as
well as a resource for CYP Operations Clerks. The guidebook includes the following chapters:

  •   Hourly Care Guidance: Information on how programs should implement key components
      of the hourly care program.
  •   Roles and Responsibilities: An overview of the roles and responsibilities for each CYP
      Professional, with detailed guidance for CYP Operations Clerks.
  •   CDC Classroom Strategies: Detail on classroom strategies for successful implementation at
      CDCs, including information on the relationship between (a) hourly care strategies and
      accreditation standards and (b) hourly care strategies and the Creative Curriculum®, the
      required curriculum for CDCs.
  •   SAC Strategies: Detail on strategies for successful implementation of the SAC program,
      including information on the relationship between hourly care strategies and accreditation
      standards.
  •   Training Tips: Information for T&C Specialists to enhance the training of CYP Program
      Assistants related to the hourly care program.




                                                                                                      3
Hourly Care Guidance



                     Hourly Care Guidance
The CYP hourly care policy was developed so that vacant and absent spaces can be made available
to parents in need of intermittent child care. CDC and SAC programs CONUS and OCONUS are
required to implement the hourly care program, which includes taking reservations for hourly care
30 days in advance. Parents may no longer be asked to confirm the availability of space on the day
care is needed; care is guaranteed when the reservation is made.

Guidance on how to implement key components of the hourly care policy is provided in the next
section. The policy is available in its entirety on the CYP Web site. In addition, appendix A
includes answers to frequently asked questions related to hourly care.


1.     WHO CAN USE HOURLY CARE
Any eligible parent requiring care other than full-
time care can use hourly care in the CDC or SAC                            Using Hourly Care
program. Hourly care may be used in any situation          The Navy hourly care program can be used for any
and for any reason. The reasons parents seek hourly        reason, including:
care are irrelevant and should not be taken into            Tending to personal needs such as lunch with
                                                               friends
account when hourly care arrangements are
                                                            Attending doctor visits
secured. In addition, the priorities used to place          Obtaining relief from daily stressors
full-time children are not relevant for hourly care         Tending to emergency situations
families. Hourly care spaces are available on a first-      Reasons for care are irrelevant. Hourly care can
come, first-serve basis, and as a result, all parents          be used in any situation for any reason.
have equal access to spaces.


2.     HOW OFTEN HOURLY CARE CAN BE USED
Programs should offer hourly care services to families during regular operating hours when children
are present. On a regular basis, parents may not use hourly care in excess of the following:

                                     HOURLY CARE LIMITS
                             Program                     Do Not Regularly Exceed
                                                           Per Child Per Week
                 CDC                                             25 hours
                 SAC Before & After School                       10 hours
                 SAC Summer Camp                                 25 hours


4
Hourly Care Guidance


Therefore, if a parent requests care at the CDC for 24 hours in a given week and space is available,
the reservation should be taken. Similarly, if a parent requests care at the SAC program for 9 hours
in a given week and space is available, the reservation should be taken.

There may be unique situations in which parents request more than the maximum number of hours
per week for a limited period (e.g., 26 hours of care for a week at the CDC; 15 hours of care a week
for 2 subsequent weeks at the SAC program during the school year). When this occurs, the CYP
Director should determine whether this request can be accommodated.

While hourly care is not intended to be offered full-time on a regular basis, full-week care can be
provided during emergency or special situations if space is available. For example, if a parent only
has their children a few weeks a year because of separation or divorce, it is acceptable for them to
use full-time care at the CYP for a short period of time. In this instance the family would be charged
a weekly fee based on TFI. The intent of the hourly care policy is to accommodate the child care
needs of military families and fill as many spaces as possible. Therefore if space is available, the
CYP should make every effort to meet the needs of families and serve the military community.


3.     MAKING RESERVATIONS
Parents may call the program to make a reservation for child care up to 30 days in advance or may
walk into the program and inquire about receiving
                                                               Reservations: A Guarantee of Care
care immediately. Either method of requesting care
(e.g., reservation or walk-in) is acceptable.             Once a reservation is made, the program
                                                                 guarantees care for the child at that program on
Programs must take reservations for hourly care up to            the day and time for which care was requested
30 days in advance. When space is reserved, the                 Parents do not need to call back or wait until
                                                                 the day of the hourly care visit to confirm their
program guarantees that parents will receive care for            reservation
their child at that program on the day and time for
which care was requested. Parents do not need to call
back or wait until the day of the hourly care visit to confirm the visit.

When parents inquire about the availability of hourly care spaces, the CYP Clerk or other CYP
Professional making the reservation should complete the Reservation Log. The log lists the total
number of hourly care spaces generated by the Available Space Tool. The log enables CYP Clerks
to track the total number of available spaces, the number of spaces that have been reserved, and the
number of parents who request care after spaces have been filled (e.g., hourly care wait list).




                                                                                                             5
Hourly Care Guidance


CDC programs must track available spaces and reservations by age group. SAC programs must
track spaces and reservations by program variation (e.g., Before and After School or Summer
Camp). Reservation logs can be found in appendix B.

A checklist with information to discuss with parents when reservations for hourly care are made can
be found in appendix C.


4.     IDENTIFYING SPACE FOR HOURLY CARE
CYP Professionals are required to use the Available Space Tool to calculate the number of hourly
care slots that are available for each program on a given day. This includes calculations for (a)
program-specific vacancy rates based on predicted enrollment data and (b) absences based on Navy-
wide trends.

The Available Space Tool calculates absences based on Navy-wide trends. Therefore, it is not
necessary for programs to track absences at the program; the tool will make these predictions. The
tool is critical to successful implementation of hourly care because it provides the information
necessary to make reservations up to 30 days in advance without knowledge of planned absences.
However, it is still important to use all available information to fill spaces at the CYP. For example,
if the tool calculates zero (0) hourly care spaces and the CYP Director knows that a child will be on
vacation that week, use these spaces for hourly care. Continue to track vacancies (e.g., open spaces)
and enter this program-specific data into the Available Space Tool.

Because the number of hourly care spaces fluctuates with changes in capacity and enrollment, the
tool must be completed weekly. This way, changes to enrollment will be captured and programs will
be provided accurate data related to the number of
available hourly care spaces.                                     Available Space Tool

                                                            Programs MUST take reservations 30 days in
The Available Space Tool was developed after an              advance by using the Available Space Tool
in-depth analysis of data from CDC and SAC                  The Available Space Tool calculates the
programs across the Navy related to factors such as          number of available hourly care spaces within
                                                             each program on a given day
capacity, enrollment, program size, and child age.
                                                            Knowledge of planned absences is not needed
Following these statistical analyses, the hourly care        to schedule hourly care visits (but can be
program was piloted to determine the effectiveness           helpful)
and utility of the Available Space Tool.                    Use the Available Space Tool weekly to obtain
                                                             accurate data related to the number of hourly
Adjustments were then made to the tool to
                                                             care spaces
incorporate lessons learned from the pilot sites and




6
Hourly Care Guidance


minimize the chances that programs will exceed ratio requirements. CNIC will continue to monitor
the effectiveness and utility of the Available Space Tool and make adjustments as necessary based
on feedback from the field.

Step-by-step instructions on use of the Available Space Tool are provided in appendix D.


5.     MANAGING OVER ENROLLMENT
The Available Space Tool was designed to prevent over enrollment as much as possible. In the
unlikely event that over enrollment does occur, a program must have a plan to resolve the situation.
This plan will vary at each program based on the specific needs of the program and the availability
of resources, but it may include the following:

  •   Sharing of CYP Professionals among programs
  •   Increasing the number of “on-call” flexible CYP Professionals
  •   Moving full-time CDC children who are ready to transition to an older classroom to that room
      for the day.

While it is acceptable to exceed group size for a few hours, ratios within the classroom must be
maintained at all times.


6.     HANDLING SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUES
The CYP Operations Clerk should ask the parent requesting care whether their child requires any
special accommodations or has special needs. The child's file should be reviewed by the Special
Needs Review Board if (a) the CYP Director has concerns about the program’s ability to care for
particular children, (b) additional training is needed for CYP Professionals in order to appropriately
serve particular children, or (c) children with special needs will use the program regularly.

Children should not be denied care because of special needs, and programs must make every effort
to accept the children into the hourly care program.




                                                                                                   7
Roles and Responsibilities



                    Roles and Responsibilities
All CYP Professionals play an important role in implementing the hourly care policy. Major
responsibilities of the CYP Director are summarized first, followed by responsibilities of the T&C
Specialist, CYP Leads, CYP Program Assistants, and CYP Operations Clerks. In addition to a
general description of roles and responsibilities of CYP Operations Clerks, specific steps to be
undertaken by these individuals are included in this chapter.

Additional information relevant to CYP Leads and Program Assistants can be found in the CDC
Classroom Strategies and SAC Strategies chapters. Information relevant to the T&C Specialist is
available in the Training Tips chapter.


1.        CYP DIRECTOR
The CYP Director is responsible for ensuring that adequate systems and procedures are in place to
support implementation of the program and for presenting the program in a positive way. Without
adequate processes and CYP Professionals who support the program, the hourly care program can
be confusing and stressful for children, families, and CYP Professionals. The CYP Director should
ensure that the following procedures have been developed at a minimum, have been communicated
and are understood by all CYP Professionals, and are revised when needed to ensure smooth
operation of the hourly care program.

    •   Marketing the hourly care program
    •   Sharing information with parents when they inquire about the hourly care program, including
        a checklist of items to discuss with parents and creation of new documents specific to hourly
        care
    •   Registering hourly care families, including a
        process for disseminating, collecting, and                       Role of the CYP Director
        reviewing the required paperwork
                                                            While many of these tasks are conducted by other
    •   Tracking reservations and placing children in       CYP Professionals, the CYP Director is responsible
        CDC classrooms                                      for developing, monitoring, and revising systems
    •   Tracking children on an hourly care wait list       and processes to support implementation of the
                                                            hourly care program.
    •   Communicating reservation details to all CYP
        Professionals, including the CYP Director,
        T&C Specialist, CYP Leads, and CYP Program Assistants
    •   Escorting new families to assigned CDC classrooms



8
Roles and Responsibilities


 •   Monitoring hourly care families’ actual arrival and departure times compared to their
     scheduled arrival and departure times so fees can be calculated correctly
 •   Collecting and tracking fees
 •   Creating a system for filing hourly care documentation
 •   Coordinating plans to resolve possible over enrollment situations.

In sum, CYP Directors are responsible for ensuring that the hourly care program is implemented
successfully. This includes keeping all CYP Professionals focused on the importance of the hourly
care program to military families, ensuring that the intent of the program is clearly communicated to
everyone involved, and ensuring that expectations and roles are clear among all CYP Professionals.
For instance, the CYP Director should ensure that CYP Program Assistants and Leads understand
that specific classroom assignments often cannot be made until the morning of the hourly care visit,
and that advance notice of hourly care visits may not always be possible. Anticipating and
clarifying this and other implementation issues is key to reducing communication problems and
confusion related to implementation of the hourly care program.

Effectively marketing and communicating the key elements of the hourly care program on the base
is critical. Not only will parents benefit from clear messages about how the program operates, but
referring organizations will obtain a better understanding of the premise of the policy. Without this
information, referring organizations may unintentionally misinform parents about the hourly care
policy. Market the hourly care program at Command indocs, clinics, Fleet and Family Support, with
ombudsman, and with the Command Master Chief. If miscommunication occurs, take the time to
clarify the purpose, intent, and details of the hourly care program with other organizations and
individuals on base.

Effectively communicating the hourly care policy to CYP Professionals is an equally important task
of the CYP Director. Directors must present the program in a positive way and provide the
necessary support to all CYP Professionals to ensure the program’s success. This includes working
with the Resource and Referral office so these individuals understand the hourly care policy and are
better able to market it effectively and refer families appropriately to the hourly care program.


2.     T&C SPECIALIST
The T&C Specialist is responsible for ensuring that all CYP Professionals have received training on
the hourly care program, clearly understand their roles in the program, and have the skills necessary
for successful implementation.

In addition to training, T&C Specialists are required to conduct observations of CDC Program
Assistants during hourly care visits, role model different strategies for working with children and

                                                                                                 9
Roles and Responsibilities


families in the classroom, and offer individualized coaching to support Program Assistants and
Leads. The Training Tips chapter provides additional guidance for T&C Specialists.


3.     CYP LEAD
The primary role of the CYP Lead as it relates to the hourly care program is to support CYP
Program Assistants with implementation of the program on a daily basis. This may involve
reinforcing the training that Program Assistants received from the T&C Specialist by role modeling
strategies in the classroom or providing additional tips related to classroom management. In
addition, Leads may also work with the regularly enrolled children in the classroom to provide
Program Assistants opportunities to comfort hourly care children who are having particularly
difficult separations from their parents or provide individualized attention for these children during
transitions such as lunch or nap.

Regardless of the specific support provided, CYP Leads play an important role in implementing the
hourly care program and must be aware of the number of hourly care children in a facility on a
given day, and be available to help CYP Program Assistants in any way possible. This includes
becoming proficient with the strategies outlined in the CDC Classroom Strategies and SAC
Strategies chapters and supporting Program Assistants with implementation of these strategies.


4.     CYP PROGRAM ASSISTANT
The primary role of the CYP Program Assistant is to integrate hourly care families and children into
the daily routine and ensure that transitions are as smooth as possible. This requires implementation
of many strategies that are already in place—careful planning, good communication, transition
techniques, and strategies for working with any new family or child. Having well established, strong
classroom routines are critical to successful classroom management in general. These same
principles will ease the transition of new children into the classroom or program. Additional
strategies to support CYP Program Assistants with successful implementation of the hourly care
program are outlined in the CDC Classroom Strategies and SAC Strategies chapters. Program
Assistants are required to read these strategies and incorporate new systems into their daily
activities.


5.     CYP OPERATIONS CLERK
CYP Operations Clerks play a crucial role in coordinating and implementing the hourly care policy.
They are responsible for determining the number of hourly care spaces available on a daily basis,
explaining the program to parents, reserving space, collecting registration materials, communicating


10
Roles and Responsibilities


hourly care reservations to other CYP Professionals, monitoring use of the hourly care program,
collecting the appropriate fees from parents, and welcoming children and families to the program
upon arrival. As noted, the CYP Director is responsible for ensuring that these processes are in
place, and the T&C Specialist is responsible for ensuring that the Operations Clerk understands
his/her role and has received sufficient training to be successful. A step-by-step description of
Operations Clerks’ responsibilities is provided next.

5.1 Use the Available Space Tool to Calculate Spaces
 •   Receive training on the Available Space Tool in order to understand the core principles related
     to calculation of hourly care spaces.
 •   Use the Available Space Tool weekly to determine the number of hourly care spaces
     available.

5.2 Prepare Reservation Logs
 •   Complete the Reservation Log by transferring the “Total Hourly Care Spaces” number from
     the Available Space Tool to the reservation log “spaces” column.
 •   Create enough reservation logs – one for each week in a 30-day period – in order to have the
     information needed to take reservations up to 30 days in advance.

5.3 Explain the Hourly Care Program to Parents
 •   Be knowledgeable about all aspects of the hourly care program. Keep a copy of the Hourly
     Care Policy letter and Hourly Care Guidebook available as a resource.
 •   When parents call requesting information about the hourly care program, explain that
     reservations can be made 30 days in advance on a first-come, first-serve basis.
 •   Explain the fee policy to parents, which includes information related to extensions,
     cancellations, and no-shows.
 •   Explain the child registration and attendance requirements to parents and answer any
     questions they may have about the hourly care program or the CYP in general.

5.4 Reserve Space
 •   Refer to the Reservation Checklist in appendix C for a list of items to discuss with parents.
 •   If space is available, use the Reservation Log (see appendix B) to take a reservation. Record
     information about the hourly care visit, including the first and last name of the parent and
     child, parent’s telephone number, child’s age, date and time care is requested, and any
     comments about the child or parent. Remember to ask parents if their child has any special
     needs, including allergies, and whether their child will be taking medication during the visit.

                                                                                                 11
Roles and Responsibilities


 •   CDC-specific information: Because specific classroom assignments for CDC programs often
     cannot be made until the morning of the hourly care visit, this information is typically not
     recorded at the time the reservation is made.
 •   SAC-specific information: When making a reservation at the SAC program, determine
     whether transportation can be provided, and if so, make these arrangements and make a
     notation on the Reservation Log.
 •   Once hourly care spaces have been filled, create a wait list by placing names of parents
     requesting care on the Reservation Log and writing “Wait List” under the “Reserved Space or
     Wait List” column. Contact parents on the wait list if there is a cancellation or if additional
     space is available on the day for which the care was requested.

5.5 Distribute Welcome Materials to First Time Parents
 •   Distribute welcome materials to first time parents with basic information about the program
     and all required forms. As noted, the CYP Director will identify the content of this
     informational package and ensure that documents specific to the hourly care program are
     created as needed.
 •   Welcome materials may include the following:
          o Information specific to hourly care, such as a one-page information sheet
          o List of required supplies (e.g., diapers and bottles for infants, toothbrushes for
            preschoolers, packed lunches for SAC children)
          o Sample CDC classroom schedule/SAC program activity list so parents understand
            the general structure of the day for the age of care requested and can communicate
            this to their child
          o For the CDC, a checklist of suggested comfort items for their child (e.g., family
            photograph, taped lullabies, favorite toy, stuffed animal)
          o For the CDC, information on the Creative Curriculum® specific to their child’s age
            group
 •   Welcome materials must include the following required CNIC registration forms. Hourly care
     can not be provided until these documents have been completed, except in emergency
     situations.
          o CNICCYP 1700/04, Navy CYP Registration Form
          o Parent Hourly Care Fee Agreement
          o For CDC, CNICCYP 1700/07, Navy CYP Child and Family Profile, a form that may
            ease transition issues and provide information needed for CYP Program Assistants to
            more effectively integrate children into the classroom or program
          o Field Trip Permission Form
          o Photo Permission Form


12
Roles and Responsibilities


          o CNICCYP 1700/08, Navy CYP Medical Authorization Form, if applicable
          o Immunization records (required within 30 days of first hourly care visit) for CDC
            children, or documentation as outlined in OPNAV 1700.9E explaining why the child
            is not immunized
          o Special needs information, if applicable.

5.6 Encourage First Time Parents to Tour the Program
 •   Encourage new parents to visit the program prior to the child’s first hourly care visit.
 •   Explain to parents how a tour of the program can assist their child’s transition to the program
     by increasing their familiarity with the program.
 •   Using the process put into place by the CYP Director, make arrangements for a parent
     orientation session or tour of the facility.

5.7 Place CDC Children in Age-Appropriate Classrooms
 •   At the CDC, work with the entire team to determine the best placements for CDC children.
     Because the Available Space Tool calculates spaces by age group rather than by classroom,
     these placements often cannot be made until the morning of the hourly care visit.
 •   When possible, place hourly care children in the same CDC classroom on subsequent visits to
     ensure continuity of care. This helps children feel a sense of belonging and greater sense of
     security.

5.8 Share Information With CYP Professionals
 •   Share hourly care reservation details with the CYP Director, T&C Specialist, CYP Leads,
     CYP Program Assistants, and the CYP Cook. This includes telling management when
     reservations are made and sharing information with CYP Program Assistants after classroom
     assignments have been made.
 •   Use the system created by the CYP Director to share information. For example, the Director
     may ask Clerks give Program Assistants a copy of the Reservation Log and the completed
     Navy CYP Child and Family Profile form.
 •   Critical information to share includes the parent’s name and contact number; name and age of
     the child; date of the visit; planned arrival and departure times; any special considerations
     such as allergies, special needs, and medications; and if transportation will be provided for
     SAC children.
 •   At the CDC, implement the system developed by the CYP Director for communicating which
     classroom hourly care children will be placed so any CYP Professional can direct the child
     and parent to the appropriate classroom during their visit. The process might include placing
     the completed Registration Log in an easily accessible location at the front desk for any CYP

                                                                                                13
Roles and Responsibilities


     Professional to review. Communicating classroom assignments for hourly care children helps
     ensure a smooth drop off for families, especially if the Operations Clerk steps away from the
     front desk.

5.9 Collect, Review, and File Registration Materials
 •   Collect all required registration forms during the initial visit.
 •   Review the forms to ensure that each is completed correctly.
 •   Using the system created by the CYP Director, file registration materials for each child
     participating in the hourly care program. Maintain files for hourly care children in a separate
     area from full-time children’s files so both sets of files can be accessed easily.

5.10 Monitor Arrival
 •   Greet parents upon arrival and remind them to sign in.
 •   At the CDC, using the system put in place by the CYP Director, notify a CYP Professional
     (e.g., T&C Specialist, CYP Lead, CYP Director) that a new family is at the front desk and
     ready to be escorted to their assigned classroom. This ensures that parents know where to
     drop-off their children and sets a welcoming tone.

5.11 Calculate and Collect Fees
 •   Using actual arrival and departure information, calculate fees, and collect payment from
     parents. Payment must be made at the end of each hourly visit.
 •   Thank parents for visiting and encourage them to come again.




14
CDC Classroom Strategies



                CDC Classroom Strategies
The purpose of this chapter is to provide CYP Program Assistants and Leads in CDCs with the
strategies needed to successfully implement hourly care. CNIC is dedicated to ensuring high quality
in all Navy CYPs and achieves this in part through regulations, annual inspections, and required
accreditation. Accreditation standards from NAEYC support the Navy’s goal of meeting high
standards across all its programs. NAEYC accreditation requires that programs are offered with
consistent procedures, careful planning, and thorough implementation. Hourly care, as one of the
programs offered by Navy CYPs, is held to these same standards. Hourly care should be treated as a
part of regular programming so it becomes an expected and consistent part of the curriculum and
daily routine in CDC classrooms.

The Creative Curriculum®, the required curriculum for Navy CDCs, is aligned with NAEYC
accreditation standards and provides the philosophy, structure, and strategies for programs to meet
the standards. The Creative Curriculum® also provides support for implementing hourly care in the
classroom. The curriculum’s strategies for planning, setting up the environment, building classroom
community and creating positive relationships are all relevant to successfully incorporating hourly
care into regular programming.

Strategies for incorporating hourly care into CDC classrooms are presented in the following three
sections:

•    Planning and Preparation
•    The Hourly Care Visit: Creating Relationships
•    Reflect and Document.

Each section provides information on the alignment of hourly care strategies with NAEYC
accreditation standards and the Creative Curriculum®, and outlines specific steps to follow so that
hourly care is incorporated smoothly into the daily routine.


1.      PLANNING AND PREPARATION
When hourly care is expected and planned for as part of each day, CYP Program Assistants, Leads,
children, and families are prepared for its occurrence, and children are incorporated more easily into
the routine. As stated in the Creative Curriculum®, “A daily schedule establishes the consistency
that helps young children to predict the sequence of events and thus to feel more secure and more in
control of their day.”


                                                                                                 15
CDC Classroom Strategies


Planning and preparing for hourly care includes the following components, which are described in
more detail within this section:

  •   Incorporate hourly care into regular planning sessions
  •   Prepare the environment and gather materials
  •   Build classroom community.

1.1 Incorporate Hourly Care Into Regular Planning Sessions
During regular planning sessions, all elements of the hourly care program should be planned and/or
reviewed to ensure the continual seamless integration of the program into the daily routine. It is
important to work as a team to welcome and transition visiting children into the program. Leads can
provide additional support by modeling, clarifying implementation strategies, and assisting in the
classrooms; T&C Specialists can observe and share classroom management strategies. The
following steps should be followed during planning sessions.

Create and Review the Hourly Care Communication System
Hourly care communication systems are designed to keep everyone informed of visiting children.
While communication systems may vary at each CYP, each classroom must have the following:

  •   A place to keep information on visiting children such as the Navy CYP Child and Family
      Profile and a copy of the Reservation Log. The designated space could be a clipboard, bulletin
      board, or other common area accessible to all Program Assistants and Leads working in the
      classroom.
 •    A message board outside the door of the classroom that welcomes visiting children and their
      families and informs other families of visitors to the program.

Discussing the effectiveness of the communication system and making adjustments as needed is
important. During planning sessions, ensure that one CYP Program Assistant in each classroom is
designated to post a welcome message outside the classroom.

Plan for Arrival of Children Throughout the Day
Plan for the arrival of visiting children during all times of the day, including meals and nap.
Consider the following questions:

  •   Where will the children sit during a group activity?
  •   Where will the children who arrive during lunch or snack time sit?
  •   Where will the children rest?



16
CDC Classroom Strategies


  •   Who will be available at each of these times to assist the children with routine activities?

Careful, thorough planning for the arrival of visiting children at different times of the day
minimizes disruption by helping children blend into the existing program more quickly and allows
CYP Program Assistants to focus on the needs of all children so routine activities continue to
operate smoothly.

1.2 Prepare the Environment and Gather Materials
The Creative Curriculum® states, “A physical setting that is safe, attractive, comfortable and well
designed helps children engage in the activities offered.” Thoughtfully setting up the environment
for visiting children helps them feel comfortable, transition into the classroom more easily, and feel
like a part of the ongoing program. The following sections outline steps that should be taken to
prepare the environment, including preparation of materials.

Create and Maintain an Hourly Care Kit
Create and maintain an hourly care kit so that materials used during hourly care visits are readily
accessible if needed. Check the contents of the kit periodically and replenish materials as needed. A
plastic bin, sturdy box, or basket can be used for the container. The kit contains items to meet the
following purposes and should be adapted to meet the needs of each age group and tailored to the
needs of particular children who visit more often:

  •   Materials to identify the child’s cubby or basket for their belongings or to label items from
      home (labels, markers, name tags)
  •   Comfort items to help children during transitions
           o For children of all ages, a comfort item might include a stuffed animal
           o For infants, comfort items might include items that can be held such as a rattle,
                teething ring, and plastic keys, or a CD with lullabies
           o For toddlers and preschoolers, a comfort item might include small cars
  •   A plastic frame or photo album for a picture from home
  •   A welcome puppet (e.g., familiar animal or pet such as a dog, cat, teddy bear, or rabbit)
  •   Books to be used at resting time or to ease transitions (See children’s books in appendix E).
           o For infants, include board books with pictures of babies and other familiar items,
                such as “Baby Faces Board Book” by Roberta Intrater
           o For pretoddlers, include board books about family and friends, such as “Who Loves
                You, Baby?” by Nina Laden
           o For toddlers, include books about coming to school, such as “Spot Goes to School”
                by Eric Hill


                                                                                                     17
CDC Classroom Strategies


            o For preschoolers, include books about coming to school, such as “Wemberly
                Worried” by Kevin Henkes
  •   Resources for parents on separation anxiety, child development, and strategies for saying
      goodbye (See appendix E)
  •   Camera and printer (or Polaroid camera if a printer is not available) to take the children’s
      pictures for their cubbies, a visiting friends board or album, and to share with parents at pick-
      up. Pictures can also be taken of parents for children to look at during their visits
  •   Message board (if one is not already in place outside the door to the classroom) and dry-erase
      markers to let other families know when there is a visitor
  •   Daily care forms to collect information on the child and give to parents at the end of the visit
      (See appendix F).

Designate Space for Hourly Care Children’s Belongings
Identify a cubby or basket to be used for visiting children. Use the supplies in the hourly care kit to
make a name tag for the cubby or basket. Labeling the cubby or basket with children’s names
and/or pictures helps ensure the parents and children feel welcome and part of the classroom.

Refresh the Cozy Space
The Creative Curriculum® provides information on creating a place where children can be alone
(e.g., a cozy space). This is a place where children can be by themselves, with an adult, or with one
or two other children until they are comfortable joining the group. A cozy space can be helpful for
visiting children who have difficulty transitioning. Check the materials in the designated cozy space
weekly and refresh it as needed to include soft
                                                             Cozy Spaces for Infants and Pretoddlers
places to sit, stuffed animals, books, and soothing
music. Be sure this area is inviting, neatly arranged,    For infants and pretoddlers, the appropriate cozy
and placed where children can still observe               space is often in a Program Assistant’s arms or lap.
classroom interactions and activities.

Create and Update the Visiting Friends Board or Album
All classrooms must have a visiting friend’s board or picture album. Check periodically to ensure
that all pictures of visiting children taken during the previous week have been added to the board or
album, and that all photographs are labeled with the visiting children’s names and date of their visit.
The purpose of the board or album is to reflect the visiting children in the environment and involve
the regularly enrolled children in talking about friends who have visited their classroom.




18
CDC Classroom Strategies


1.3 Build Classroom Community
Community building in the classroom is a cornerstone of the Creative Curriculum®. The curriculum
defines community as a place in the classroom where children know they are safe both physically
and emotionally so that all children have a sense of belonging and rejection or hurtful behavior is
minimized. Hourly care provides additional opportunities to help children develop the skills needed
to create a community of caring. By implementing the following steps, children are supported in
welcoming new friends into their classroom.

Share Stories That Support the Classroom Community
Incorporate stories with themes related to making friends, coming to new places, starting school,
and saying goodbye to help the children relate to feelings of visiting children. These books can be
read as a planned group activity or individually, and can be shared with both regularly enrolled
children and visitors. A selection of children’s books is provided in appendix E.

Talk About Visiting Friends With the Children
Talk with the children about new friends coming into the classroom and joining them in their
activities. The Creative Curriculum® recognizes that children’s classroom community includes
learning to develop friendships. CYP Program Assistants must help children learn to connect with
others, develop positive relationships, and negotiate conflicts. Conversation about new friends is
appropriate for infants as well as older children.

Refer to the Visiting Friends Board or Album
Look at the pictures of friends who visited the classroom periodically as a part of morning circle or
morning activities. Sharing memories of the
children who have visited conveys respect and                Referring to the Visiting Friends Board:
                                                                        Infants and Pretoddlers
caring and sends a message that everyone belongs
to the community, even if they only visit for a short    This activity can be conducted one-on-one or in a
period of time. Ask the children the following           small group using a photo album that the children
                                                         can easily handle.
questions:

  •   What do they remember about each friend who visited?
  •   Who do they think might be coming today?
  •   What do they think their friends who are not coming in today might be doing?




                                                                                                      19
CDC Classroom Strategies


Inform the Children as Soon as Possible

When information is received about an hourly care
visit to a particular classroom, inform the children               Informing Pretoddlers and Toddlers
right away so they can be prepared. Advance notice,
even on the morning of the hourly care visit, helps          Pretoddlers and toddlers are especially concerned
                                                             when someone enters the classroom. Telling them
children prepare for a possible change to the routine        in advance about the visit and looking at a picture
that often occurs when someone new transitions into          of the visiting child if one is available can help allay
                                                             those concerns.
the group.

Implement a “Buddy” System in Preschool Classrooms
Include preschool children in planning for and engaging with visiting children by encouraging them
to be a “buddy” for visitors. Involve them in determining the role of the buddy as someone who
helps visitors feel welcome by engaging them in activities and introducing them to other friends in
the program. The job of buddy should be added to the job chart, as recommended in the Creative
Curriculum®.


2.     THE HOURLY CARE VISIT: CREATING RELATIONSHIPS
An hourly care visit begins when the children and families enter the classroom. The strategies
identified in this section are targeted to address critical transition periods and are provided in the
order below:

  •   Arrival – greeting and welcoming families into the classroom
  •   Transition into the routine – helping children engage with CYP Professionals, other children,
      and activities
  •   Departure – helping children transition back to the parents and ending the visit positively.

2.1 Arrival
The arrival of families into the classroom is a critical time for the success of the hourly care
program. First impressions are often lasting impressions. NAEYC expects CYP Program Assistants
to use a welcoming tone and greet children and families in an open and supportive manner. The
steps below should be followed during the arrival of visiting children and families.




20
CDC Classroom Strategies


Review Information About Hourly Children
Read the information provided by the CYP Operations Clerk about the visiting children and
families. This may include the Navy CYP Child and Family Profile and Reservation Log.

Warmly Welcome Children and Parents
CYP Program Assistants should warmly welcome children and families into the classroom. This is
important for all families but especially important when someone uses the program occasionally.
The impression made may influence parents’ decision for future hourly visits or for considering
full-time care. Providing a warm welcome for hourly care parents and children also influences the
comfort level of visiting children and may positively influence the reactions of the other children to
having a new member in classroom for the day.

Help parents sign in, label items from home using materials from the hourly care kit, and put the
children’s belongings in the cubbies or baskets labeled with their names or photographs. This sends
a message to parents and children that they are welcome in your classroom.

Ask parents to complete their portion of the daily care form– a form that is required for all hourly
care children. Assure them of your training and experience in working with children so parents feel
secure leaving their children for the day. Providing this information builds trust, a concept
emphasized in the Creative Curriculum®.

Answer Parents’ Questions
Take time to answer parents’ questions related to the daily schedule, activities, supervision, meals,
and nap times. The Creative Curriculum® requires the daily schedule to be posted for parents on the
parent bulletin board along with the menu and pictures of children participating in various activities.
Refer parents to this schedule and provide them with a copy if requested.

2.2 Transition Into the Routine
After greeting the children and parents, help the children transition into the classroom and become
engaged in the routine and with the other children. Follow these steps to help visiting children make
that transition.

Encourage a Positive Separation
Help parents separate from their children—encourage them to stay a few minutes while their
children get settled and then say goodbye. If the children are upset, reassure the parents that their


                                                                                                   21
CDC Classroom Strategies


child’s response is normal. Inform the parents that you have strategies for helping children
transition comfortably into the classroom routine. Talk in a warm, caring, comforting tone to both
parents and children. Provide parents with articles from the hourly care kit on separation anxiety
and/or saying goodbye. Let parents know they can check on their children throughout the day.
Easing anxiety for both parents and children will result in an easier day for everyone.

In Preschool Classrooms, Introduce Visiting Children to Their Buddy
Introduce preschool visiting children to their buddy and help the buddy show the visiting friend
around the room, introduce the visitor to the regularly enrolled children, and invite the visitor to
engage in activities.

Provide Comfort Items and/or Transition Time and Space
The Creative Curriculum® provides guidance for transitions that are relaxed, smooth, and planned
ahead of time. If visiting children are upset or hesitant, offer them a comfort item from the hourly
care kit appropriate for their age. Provide physical comfort by holding upset children or letting them
sit on your lap near the other children. If parents bring a picture from home, put it in a frame or
album from your hourly care kit and place it where the child can see it during the visit. Separation
can be easier to deal with when relieved by the pleasure of reunion, and photos can help serve that
purpose. For toddlers and preschoolers, show them the cozy space and let them know it is okay to
be there until they are ready to join the other children.

Assist Children to Engage in an Activity and With Other Children
NAEYC criteria state that staff interact and engage with all children to support their entering into
activities, engaging in social opportunities, and
                                                                Engaging Infants and Pretoddlers
experiencing overall success throughout their visit.
Support visiting children as they transition into the   Infants and pretoddlers often need the reassurance
daily routine and activities. For nonverbal children,   from a CYP Program Assistant even once they have
if information is available about children’s favorite   become engaged in an activity.

activities or toys, engage them in those activities. If
not, show them choices in the classroom to determine their interests. Once they are engaged, stay
nearby to offer support as needed.

Provide Additional Support at Meal Times and Nap
Be available during meals and at nap time to provide additional support to visiting children. Visiting
children who are new to the program will be unfamiliar with the routines and may require additional
support during routines. This is especially true for infants, pretoddlers, and toddlers who may have
very different routines for meals at home. Visiting children also may not have experience serving


22
CDC Classroom Strategies


themselves or pouring their own milk. Because visiting children may not sleep, place their cots
where they can easily look at books or play quietly without disturbing other children. Becoming
familiar with the napping routines of hourly care children and the ways parents comfort them at
home is helpful.

2.3 Departure
The end of the hourly care visit provides another opportunity to create relationships with parents or
other family members who pick up the children. Once again, planning and preparation are keys to
making pick up time successful. Implement the following strategies for a successful departure.

Be Ready for Parents’ Arrival
Check the Reservation Log to determine what time parents plan to pick up their children. Prepare
the children if necessary (i.e., trip to bathroom or diaper change, cleanup of an activity) and gather
their belongings before the parents arrive.

Share Information About the Day
NAEYC requires CYP Professionals to build positive relationships with families and share valuable
information regarding their children’s day. Complete
the daily care form – a form that is required for all                            Departure Tips
hourly care children – so this can be provided to           Younger children might start to cry when they see
                                                            their parent. If this happens, reassure parents that
parents to inform them about the routines and               the tears are more about loving the parent than
activities. The CYP Program Assistant should step           about being unhappy in the situation.
away from activities to talk with parents and share
information for a smooth transition out of the program. If The child is learning how ofbe away from the parent
                                                            pictures were taken to the children during
                                                            and crying is a normal coping technique for children.
the day or if the children completed a project, give these to the parents as a reminder of the visit
along with the daily care form.

Encourage Another Visit
Encourage the parents to stay with their children in the classroom at the end of the visit so parents
and children will feel more comfortable for the next visit. In addition, if parents plan to bring their
children back for another hourly visit and the day was a difficult one, encourage the parents to come
back and stay with their children between hourly care visits.




                                                                                                           23
CDC Classroom Strategies


3.     REFLECT AND DOCUMENT
Each hourly care visit provides opportunities to increase the overall quality of this service within the
regular program. Reflection and documentation are essential components of completing the
planning and implementation process. After each visit, follow these steps:

3.1 Reflect on Each Hourly Visit
Reflect on each hourly care visit and identify what went well and any challenges that occurred.
Discuss these ideas during the next planning session and brainstorm strategies to improve the
provision of hourly care in the future. Leads and T&C Specialists can provide additional ideas and
support.

3.2 Record and File Information About the Hourly Visit
Using the system created by the CYP Director, file a copy of the daily care form for each hourly
care visit. Add information on successes and challenges from the reflection process to the daily care
form, as well as strategies that can be used to assist the children during their next visits.




24
SAC Strategies



                               SAC Strategies
The purpose of this chapter is to provide CYP Program Assistants and Leads with strategies to
incorporate hourly care into the SAC program. CNIC is dedicated to ensuring high quality in all
Navy CYPs and achieves this in part through regulations, annual inspections, and required
accreditation. Accreditation standards from COA support the Navy’s goal of meeting high standards
across all its programs. Hourly care, as one of the programs offered by Navy CYPs, is held to these
same standards. When hourly care is included as a part of regular programming, it becomes an
expected and consistent part of the daily activities in the SAC program.

Strategies for incorporating hourly care into SAC programs are presented in the following three
sections:

•    Planning and Preparation
•    The Hourly Care Visit: Creating Relationships
•    Reflect and Document.

1.      PLANNING AND PREPARATION
Implementation of hourly care in SAC programs requires fewer strategies because the children are
older and in most cases they know each other from school or the neighborhood. Even so, it is still
important for Program Assistants to plan, prepare the environment, build community, create
positive relationships, and document hourly care visits. Planning will prepare Program Assistants to
address any unique situations that may arise.

During regular planning sessions, the hourly care program should be planned for and reviewed to
ensure its continual seamless integration into the regular program. COA standards require planning
for a classroom environment that is well organized, comfortable, and inviting that encourages each
child to explore, discover and experiment. The following steps should be included during planning
sessions.

1.1 Create and Review the Hourly Care Communication
    System
Hourly care communication systems are designed to keep everyone informed of visiting children
coming into the program each day. Each SAC program must have a place where information on
hourly care children is available to all CYP Professionals working in the program. The designated

                                                                                               25
SAC Strategies


space could be a clipboard, bulletin board, or other common area accessible to all Program
Assistants and Leads.

Clear communication is especially important when transportation is needed for hourly care children
to and from school. This is a new process for the children. Providing information for all CYP
Professionals in the program ensures children arrive safely at their destinations.

Discussing the effectiveness of the communication system and making adjustments as needed is
important to ensure everyone has the information needed to welcome hourly care children and
parents into the SAC program.

1.2 Designate Space for Hourly Care Children’s Belongings
Identify cubbies or lockers to be used by visiting children. Labeling cubbies or lockers with
children’s names helps ensure that the children feel welcome and part of the SAC program.

1.3 Build Community
Build community in the program by talking with the regularly enrolled SAC children about new
friends. Many of the hourly care children may already know the regularly enrolled children from
school and/or neighborhoods. Program Assistants must help all children learn to connect with
others and develop positive relationships. Hourly care offers visiting and regularly enrolled
children opportunities to develop these social skills.

Hourly care provides opportunities for SAC children to develop social competence. Include SAC
children in planning for and engaging with visiting children by encouraging them to welcome
visitors, engage with them in activities, and introduce them to other friends in the program. If
visiting children are new to the installation or program they might appreciate having a “buddy” at
the beginning of their visit to help them become acquainted with the program and the children.
Discuss the concept of being a “buddy” to determine who might be interested and what they think a
“buddy” could do to help new children transition into the program.

Ensure that children who are new to the installation have been identified by the Youth Sponsorship
Program and have been provided with a peer mentor. A peer mentor can provide tours of the
program, invitations to upcoming events, and information about the local area. Ideally mentors have
shared interests or are from the same school or neighborhood.




26
SAC Strategies


2.     THE HOURLY CARE VISIT: CREATING RELATIONSHIPS
The strategies identified in this section address arrival, transition into the program, and departure of
the hourly care children. Preparation and communication play a part in ensuring that these visits are
comfortable and trouble-free for everyone.

2.1 Welcome Hourly Care Children into the Program
Ensure that all hourly care children and their parents are warmly welcomed into the SAC program.
COA standards require greeting children and families in an open and supportive manner,
welcoming children by name, and assisting them to engage successfully into the new environment.

Show the children the space that has been designated for their belongings and answer any questions
the parents and/or children have about the program and daily activities. Talk with the children
about their interests and help them find an activity that they enjoy.

2.2 Ensure Hourly Care Children are Engaged and
    Comfortable
Program Assistants and Leads should ensure all hourly care children engage in activities they enjoy
and connect with other children in the SAC program. While most children will transition easily into
the program, some hourly care children may be shy or slow to warm up, especially if they are new
to the installation or have come to the SAC program for the first time. In these situations, call on a
“buddy” or the peer mentor from the Youth Sponsorship Program to introduce the visiting children
to other friends and include them in activities. Try to match the visitors with children who attend
their school or live in their neighborhood.

2.3 Share Information about the Day with Parents
Establish open communication with parents and share information with them about their children’s
day and ask if there are any concerns. This is also a COA standard and lets parents know you are
available if they have questions about the SAC program or about the visits. Also share information
about the other Youth Programs and special events and encourage them to participate.




                                                                                                  27
SAC Strategies


3.     REFLECT AND DOCUMENT
Each hourly care visit provides an opportunity to increase the overall quality of this service within
the regular SAC program. Reflection and documentation are essential components of completing
the planning and implementation process.

Reflect on each hourly care visit and identify what went well, any challenges that occurred, and
strategies that might be used during future visits. Document information that would be helpful to
other CYP Professionals for future visits and file the information using the system created by the
CYP Director.




28
Training Tips



                                   Training Tips
This chapter provides tips for the T&C Specialist to use when conducting hourly care training
sessions for CYP Professionals as well as strategies related to conducting classroom observations
and modeling. The information is organized to support both the video and the guidebook.

Each section provides specific training tips and questions for discussion related to the objective of
the section.


1.     TRAINING
All CYP Professionals are required to have training related to hourly care. Training is best divided
into at least two segments. The first segment should focus on the overall purpose of the hourly care
program and the roles and responsibilities of all CYP Professionals. The second segment should be
tailored specifically for the following three groups and should focus on specific duties: (a)
Operations Clerks, (b) Program Assistants and Leads in CDC classrooms, and (c) SAC Program
Assistants and Leads.

1.1 Hourly Care Overview Training
The purpose of the “Hourly Care Overview” training session is to provide information on the
purpose and goals of hourly care, components of the hourly care program, and roles and
responsibilities of all CYP Professionals as they relate to implementation of the program. Everyone
should understand the various roles to ensure that the program runs smoothly. To conduct this
training, follow these guidelines:

  •   Provide the overview training in a large or small group setting depending on the training plan
      and schedule in each location.
  •   Require all CYP Professionals to read the Introduction, Hourly Care Guidance, and Roles and
      Responsibilities sections in the Hourly Care Guidebook prior to the training session.
      Information in these chapters provides the rationale for the program, guidance on how
      families can use this service, and an outline of roles and responsibilities by job description.
  •   Review the assigned information with the group. Ask the following questions to encourage
      discussion:
           o What questions do you have about the hourly care program?
           o How do you see hourly care benefiting Navy families?
           o What are the benefits for currently enrolled children and families?

                                                                                                  29
Training Tips


           o Why is it important to establish and maintain a communication system for the hourly
             care program?
           o Why is it important to understand everyone’s roles and responsibilities related to
             hourly care?

Remind all CYP Operations Clerks, Program Assistants, and Leads that they are required to attend
the second segment of training, which is specifically designed for their position.

1.2 Tailored Training
Tailored training is designed to provide specific training for Operations Clerks, CYP Program
Assistants, and Leads that is directly related to their duties and the challenges encountered during
implementation of the hourly care program.

Training for CYP Operations Clerks
Require CYP Operation Clerks to review appendices B, C, and D in the guidebook prior to coming
to their tailored training session. These appendices are specific to their duties (e.g., Reservation
Log, Reservation Checklist, Available Space Tool instructions). To conduct this training, follow
these guidelines:

  •   Review the duties of Operation Clerks outlined in the guidebook and clarify any questions.
  •   View the entire video, but focus the discussion primarily on the part of the video related to the
      roles and responsibilities of the Operations Clerk.
  •   Discuss the content of the video and guidebook using these questions as prompts:
            o What challenges are you encountering related to use of the Available Space Tool?
               What strategies can be developed to help meet those challenges?
            o Is the Reservation Log an effective communiation tool within the program? If not,
               what would improve communication among CYP Professionals?
            o What questions are you receiving from parents when they inquire about hourly care?
               Are you able to answer their questions? If not, what information is needed so that
               you can more fully respond and meet their needs?
            o What other challenges are you facing in implementing your responsibilities as the
               Operations Clerk? What is needed to help you meet those challenges?

Encourage Operations Clerks to seek assistance from you or the CYP Director if they have
questions about implementing the hourly care program so issues can be resolved immediately.




30
Training Tips


Training for CDC Program Assistants and Leads
Training for CDC Program Assistants and Leads can be provided in a single group session or small
groups organized by the ages of children served (e.g., infants, pretoddlers and toddlers, and
preschoolers). This training session is an opportunity for CDC Program Assistants and Leads to
review the strategies in the video and guidebook, share their successes and challenges, and receive
support and additional ideas. To conduct this training, follow these guidelines:

 •   Prior to the session, ask Program Assistants and Leads read the CDC Classroom Strategies
     chapter and reflect on application of these strategies in their classrooms.
 •   View the entire video, but focus the discussion primarily on the part of the video, which shows
     the application of the classroom strategies.
 •   Discuss the content of the video and guidebook chapter by using these questions as prompts:

           o How does the provision of hourly care in the Navy CYP align with NAEYC
             accreditation standards?
           o How can the Creative Curriculum® be used to support implementation of hourly care
             in the classroom?
           o What is the impact of planning and preparation for hourly care on the hourly care
             visits?
           o How can you use the items in your kit to support hourly care?
           o What challenges are you facing as you implement hourly care with your age group?
             What do you need to help meet those challenges?
           o What new strategies have you implemented to facilitate the provision of hourly care?
             In planning? During the hourly care visit?

Remind the CYP Program Assistants and Leads that you will be observing, coaching, and modeling
in the classrooms, and that they are required to implement all the strategies presented in the
guidebook and video.

Training for SAC Program Assistants and Leads
This training session allows Program Assistants and Leads who work in SAC programs
opportunities to review strategies that apply specifically to their program and share successes and
challenges related to implementation of the hourly care program. To conduct this training, follow
these guidelines:

 •   Prior to the session, ask CYP Program Assistants and Leads read the SAC Strategies chapter
     and reflect on application of these strategies in their programs.



                                                                                                31
Training Tips


 •   View the entire video, but focus the discussion primarily on the video segment that shows the
     application of SAC program strategies.
 •   Discuss the content of the video and guidebook chapter by using these questions as prompts:

           o How does provision of hourly care in the Navy CYP align with COA accreditation
             standards?
           o How does having a communication system contribute to the overall success of
             hourly care visits in the SAC program?
           o How would you know that a child is having difficulty adjusting to visiting your
             program? What can you do to assist a child in this situation?
           o What strategies do you think will be most helpful to you in implementing hourly
             care?

Remind the Program Assistants and Leads that they are required to implement the strategies
presented in the guidebook and video.


2.     CDC CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS, COACHING,
       AND MODELING
Training is only valuable to CYP Professionals and programs if it translates into competency when
working with children. The T&C Specialist has a unique role in supporting Program Assistants and
Leads in developing these competencies. Observations, coaching, and modeling should be carried
out in all CDC classrooms to ensure implementation of and comfort with the classroom/program
strategies. This follow-up to tailored training sessions offers the T&C Specialist an opportunity to
work directly with Program Assistants and Leads on targeted areas that need strengthening.

2.1 CDC Classroom Observations
As the T&C Specialist, you should observe (a) planning sessions, (b) the classroom environment,
and (c) the regularly enrolled children in the CDC program. Use the following checklists as a guide
for these observations.




32
Training Tips


                     CDC Planning and Preparation Checklist
The T&C Specialist should use the following checklist as a guide for observations related to
planning sessions, organization of the classroom, and strategies used by CYP Professionals to build
classroom community prior to hourly care visits.

During the weekly planning session, each team should:
   Create and review the hourly care communication system
   Plan for the arrival of children throughout the day
To maintain the environment and materials, Program Assistants should:
   Create and maintain an hourly care kit
   Designate a space for the hourly care children’s belongings
   Refresh the cozy space
   Create and update the visiting friends board or album
To build classroom community, Program Assistants and Leads should:
   Share stories that support the classroom community
   Talk about visiting friends with the children
   Refer to the visiting friends board or album
   Inform the children about visitors as soon as possible
   Implement a “buddy” system in preschool classrooms

                                CDC Hourly Visit Checklist
The T&C Specialist should observe in the classroom during arrival of the hourly care family and the
transition of the child into the classroom activities. Return at the end of the visit to observe the
departure. Use the following checklist as a guide during these observations.

When a family arrives in the classroom the CYP Program Assistant should:
   Review information about hourly care children
   Warmly welcome children and parents
   Answer parents’ questions
To help the hourly child transition, the CYP Program Assistant should:
   Encourage a positive separation
   In preschool classrooms, introduce visiting children to their buddy
   Provide comfort items and/or transition time and space
   Assist children to engage in an activity with other children
   Provide additional support at mealtimes and nap

                                                                                               33
Training Tips


At departure, the CYP Program Assistant should:
    Be ready for parents’ arrival
    Share information about the day
    Encourage another visit

                   CDC Reflection and Documentation Checklist
After the hourly care visit, the T&C Specialist should talk to Program Assistants and Leads to
ensure that the daily care form was completed.

At the end of the visit, the Program Assistants or Leads should:
    Reflect on each hourly visit
    Record and file information about the hourly visit.

2.2 Coaching and Modeling
Completion of the classroom checklist will identify strategies that are not being implemented at all
or those that could be implemented more effectively. Coaching and modeling should be provided
related to these specific areas of the hourly care program. Coaching can be provided in individual
sessions or with a classroom team. A challenging strategy can be modeled to ensure understanding
of how it is to be implemented and to provide additional support.

The resources in appendix E can be used to reinforce the information detailed in the CDC
Classroom strategies chapter and provide additional information related to hourly care issues such
as separation anxiety, building relationships with families, and creating classroom communities.
The resources also contain children’s books and CDs.




34
Appendix A




Appendix A: Frequently Asked
         Questions




                               35
Appendix A


                                Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Does hourly care impact the wait list or the number of spaces needed for children
who require full-time care?
Answer: No; hourly care does not impact the wait list. Because hourly care children are
incorporated into existing classrooms, filling the spaces of children who are enrolled in the
program but not present on that day, the wait list is not affected. Hourly care does not require a
dedicated hourly room or dedicated hourly spaces.

Question: Since hourly care children are incorporated into the existing CYPs, should
observations of those children be conducted at the CDC using Creative Curriculum®?
Answer: No, observations are not required for hourly care children. Since the children may not
participate in the program again, or may not participate on a regular basis, the observations are
not useful. However, it would be useful to keep notes in the child’s file related to strategies that
were effective in assisting the child during the transition.

Question: What constitutes full-time/regular care versus hourly care? (1) What if a family
requests care 1 hour a day, every day for an indefinite period of time? (2) How should requests
for care Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week for an indefinite period be handled? Is
either situation considered hourly care, even though it does not exceed the definition of full-time
care (e.g., 25 hours a week for a CDC)?
Answer: If the family schedules the hourly visit in advance and the program can accommodate
the request due to absenteeism or vacancies based on the calculations from the Available Space
Tool, these arrangements can be made. However, parents must understand that the space cannot
be guaranteed indefinitely, and that reservations can only be made 30 days in advance. On a
regular basis, CDC parents may not use more than 25 hours of hourly care per child per week.
On a regular basis, SAC parents may not use more than 10 hours of hourly care per child per
week during the school year, and no more than 25 hours of hourly care per child per week during
the summer program. There are situations in which requests for care that exceed the maximum
number of hours per week should be accommodated. See the Hourly Care Guidance chapter for
additional information.

Question: Can families make standing reservations for care (e.g., Tuesday and Thursday of
every week indefinitely)?
Answer: If space is available when a family reserves hourly space (e.g., the program can
accommodate the request due to absenteeism or vacancies based on the calculations from the
Available Space Tool), the request should be accommodated for the next 30 days. Parents must




36
Appendix A


understand that the space cannot be guaranteed indefinitely and spaces can only be reserved 30
days in advance. In other words, standing reservations can be made, but only 30 days in advance.

Question: Why can standing reservations be made? It is important to give everyone access to
the program. If a parent books a standing reservation, they are monopolizing the program for
their own needs and limiting the number of people who can use the program.
Answer: Families who make standing reservations are adhering to the hourly care policy.
Hourly care is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If a family calls and makes a
reservation for care every Tuesday and Thursday for the next 30 days, the intent of the policy is
being met. Note: the standing reservation can not exceed the 30 day limit.

Question: Can families use hourly care, even if they are in the highest fee category and it
appears they are using the hourly care program to avoid paying the full enrollment fee?
Answer: Yes. Hourly care is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. It is not the role of
CYP Professionals to judge the “merit” of requests for care. Instead, if space is available when
requested (e.g., the program can accommodate the request due to absenteeism or vacancies based
on the calculations from the Available Space Tool), the reservation should be made. Priorities
used to place children in full-time care are not used for placement in the hourly program.

Question: Does the hourly program require reservations or are walk-ins accepted?
Answer: Either is acceptable. Parents can make reservations up to 30 days in advance and they
can also walk in and request care with no advance notice. However, all paperwork must be
complete before an hourly child is accepted, except in emergencies. Parents must understand that
care might not be available at the time it is requested. The hourly care program does not
guarantee that space will be available at the CYP.

Question: Why do families need to complete the registration paperwork if their child will only
participate in the CDC or SAC program once?
Answer: The registration paperwork provides important information that may help the safety
of the child in an emergency. Because the paperwork contains important information such as
medications being taken and allergies, it helps Navy CYPs better serve children.




                                                                                                  37
Appendix A




38
Appendix B




Appendix B: Reservation Log




                              39
Appendix B


                                                                  CDC Reservation Log
                                   S E C T ION 1: C DC AV AIL AB L E S P A C E T OOL R E S UL T S AND R E S E R V A T IONS
Installation Name                   Naval Base Anywhere
         1
Week of                             18 May 2009
                                           Monday                Tuesday                  Wednesday                  Thursday                    Friday
                  Age                       2            3
                                     Spaces     Reserved     Spaces  Reserved          Spaces  Reserved          Spaces   Reserved          Spaces   Reserved
              Infants                   1
            Pretoddlers                 5
             Toddlers                   1
           Preschoolers                 2           2


                                        S E C T ION 2: C DC HOUR L Y C AR E R E S E R V AT ION T R AC K ING F OR M
                                                                                                       Time Care               Comments
    Reserved             Parent/
                                      Telephone                       Child’s      Date Care           Requested              (e.g., special     Hourly Room
    Space or            Guardian              5      Child’s Name                            6                                                              7
              4                        Number                          Age        Requested                                needs, allergies,     Assignment
    Wait List            Name                                                                     Drop off     Pick up
                                                                                                                               medication)
    Reserved       Jane Williams    817-555-1234     Russ Williams    3 years        18 May         0930        1700       Allergic to peanuts
    Reserved       James Smith      817-555-7890       Jill Smith     4 years        18 May         0900        1700                NA
    Wait List      Leslie Ronald    817-555-6679      Will Ronald     4 years        18 May         0800        1500                NA




1
  Create four reservation logs – one for each week in a 30-day period
2
  Transfer “Total Hourly Care Spaces” numbers from the Available Space Tool to each “Spaces” column
3
  Once a reservation is made, enter the total number of reserved spaces for that day
4
  If space is not available, complete Section 2 and enter “Wait List” under the Reserved/Wait List” column
5
  Record the telephone number at which the parent can be most easily reached on the day of the hourly care visit
6
  Enter the date parents would like to use care (rather than the date they called to reserve care) under the “Date Care Requested” column
7
  Enter the hourly room assignment; often this can not be made until the morning of the visit


     40
Appendix B


                                                              SAC Reservation Log
                               S E C T ION 1: S AC AV AIL AB L E S P AC E T OOL R E S UL T S AND R E S E R V AT IONS
Installation Name
         1
Week of
                                           Monday                  Tuesday                  Wednesday                 Thursday                   Friday
           Program Variation                 2
                                      Spaces   Reserved        Spaces  Reserved          Spaces  Reserved         Spaces   Reserved         Spaces   Reserved
Before School
After School
Summer Camp


                                     S E C T ION 2: S AC HOUR L Y C AR E R E S E R V AT ION T R AC K ING F OR M
                                                                                                     Time Care                                  Comments
    Reserved        Parent/                                                                                              Transportation
                                   Telephone                          Child’s      Date Care         Requested                                 (e.g., special
    Space or       Guardian                4        Child’s Name                             5                            Provided by
              3                     Number                             Age        Requested        Drop                              6       needs, allergies,
    Wait List       Name                                                                                   Pick up         Program?
                                                                                                    off                                         medication)




1
  Create four reservation logs – one for each week in a 30-day period
2
  Transfer “Total Hourly Care Spaces” numbers from the Available Space Tool to each “Spaces” column
3
  Once a reservation is made, enter the total number of reserved spaces for that day
4
  If space is not available, complete Section 2 and enter “Wait List” under the Reserved/Wait List” column
5
  Record the telephone number at which the parent can be most easily reached on the day of the hourly care visit
6
  Enter the date parents would like to use care (rather than the date they called to reserve care) under the “Date Care Requested” column
7
  Enter “Yes” or “No” if the program will provide transportation for each child for which care is requested


                                                                                                                                                          41
Appendix B




42
Appendix C




Appendix C: Reservation Checklist




                                    43
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care
Cyp guidebook for hourly care

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Cyp guidebook for hourly care

  • 1. CYP Guidebook for Hourly Care Table of Contents INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................. 1 1. DEFINING HOURLY CARE ............................................................................................................................ 1 2. NEED FOR HOURLY CARE ............................................................................................................................ 2 3. STRUCTURE OF THE GUIDEBOOK.................................................................................................................. 3 HOURLY CARE GUIDANCE .............................................................................................................................. 4 1. WHO CAN USE HOURLY CARE .................................................................................................................... 4 2. HOW OFTEN HOURLY CARE CAN BE USED .................................................................................................. 4 3. MAKING RESERVATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 5 4. IDENTIFYING SPACE FOR HOURLY CARE ...................................................................................................... 6 5. MANAGING OVER ENROLLMENT .................................................................................................................. 7 6. HANDLING SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUES .............................................................................................................. 7 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................................................................................................... 8 1. CYP DIRECTOR ........................................................................................................................................... 8 2. T&C SPECIALIST ......................................................................................................................................... 9 3. CYP LEAD ................................................................................................................................................ 10 4. CYP PROGRAM ASSISTANT ....................................................................................................................... 10 5. CYP OPERATIONS CLERK .......................................................................................................................... 10 CDC CLASSROOM STRATEGIES ................................................................................................................... 15 1. PLANNING AND PREPARATION ................................................................................................................... 15 2. THE HOURLY CARE VISIT: CREATING RELATIONSHIPS ............................................................................... 20 3. REFLECT AND DOCUMENT ......................................................................................................................... 24 SAC STRATEGIES .............................................................................................................................................. 25 1. PLANNING AND PREPARATION ................................................................................................................... 25 2. THE HOURLY CARE VISIT: CREATING RELATIONSHIPS ............................................................................... 27 3. REFLECT AND DOCUMENT ......................................................................................................................... 28 TRAINING TIPS .................................................................................................................................................. 29 1. TRAINING.................................................................................................................................................. 29 2. CDC CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS, COACHING, AND MODELING................................................................ 32 APPENDIX A: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ..................................................................................... 35 APPENDIX B: RESERVATION LOG ............................................................................................................... 39 APPENDIX C: RESERVATION CHECKLIST ................................................................................................. 43 APPENDIX D: AVAILABLE SPACE TOOL INSTRUCTIONS ...................................................................... 47 APPENDIX E: RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................. 51 APPENDIX F: DAILY FORMS .......................................................................................................................... 57 i
  • 3. Introduction Introduction The Hourly Care Guidebook and accompanying video are training tools developed to support Child and Youth Program (CYP) Professionals with successful implementation of the hourly care policy. CYP Professionals must work as a team to coordinate all aspects of hourly care in order for it to run smoothly within the program. Everyone has an important role to play—from CYP Operations Clerks who have initial contact with families, to CYP Directors who develop procedures to support implementation of the policy, to CYP Professionals in the classrooms who integrate hourly children into the daily routine, and CYP Leads and Training and Curriculum (T&C) Specialists who provide support and training in classroom management. This guidebook and the accompanying video are based on accreditation standards from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Council on Accreditation (COA). By incorporating strategies from the guidebook and video, you are laying the foundation to ensure that the hourly care experience is positive for all children, families, and CYP Professionals. As such, Navy CYPs will continue to provide and enhance high-quality programming for military children and families. 1. DEFINING HOURLY CARE Hourly care is an important service offered by the Navy CYP that supports military families who have an occasional need for child care. While “drop-in” care has historically been offered throughout the Navy, the hourly care program is different in several important ways: • Use of vacancies as well as absences. Every day, CYPs have spaces that are not filled due to absences (e.g., spaces for children who are enrolled in the program but who are not present that day) and vacancies (e.g., open spaces). While absenteeism is often a result of children being sick or on vacation, vacancies can be attributed to reasons such as spaces not being filled in a timely manner and a lack of children on wait lists. While programs have systems in place for tracking vacancies, the hourly care program provides a system for predicting absences so parents can make reservations 30 days in advance. Until now, predicting absences has not been possible and parents could only make reservations on the same day that care was needed. • Acceptance of reservations up to 30 days in advance by using the Available Space Tool. The Available Space Tool was developed by Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) for the specific purpose of identifying spaces for the hourly care program. The tool provides calculations for (a) program-specific vacancy rates based on 1
  • 4. Introduction predicted enrollment data and (b) absences based on Navy-wide trends. As such, families can rely on the Navy CYP to provide child care on the dates and times of the reservation and do not need to call the morning of the visit to determine whether space is available. With the tool, it is possible to accurately predict absences and accept and guarantee reservations in advance. • Provision of hourly care to any eligible family, regardless of the reason. Hourly care must be made available to all families who are eligible to receive care in the Child Development Center (CDC) or School Age Care (SAC) program. Reservations are taken on a “first-come, first serve” basis. The priorities used to place full-time children are not relevant for hourly care families. In addition, the reason families request care is irrelevant; parents can use hourly care for any reason. Information on how often parents can use the hourly care program has been incorporated into the hourly care policy in an effort to equalize access for all families. Guidance related to this and other policy requirements is described in the Hourly Care Guidance chapter. • Mandatory implementation by CDC and SAC programs. The hourly care program must be implemented by CDC and SAC programs. To ensure compliance, implementation of the hourly care program and use of the Available Space Tool will be added as an inspection item for fiscal year 2010. 2. NEED FOR HOURLY CARE There is growing demand for occasional child care for families living across the United States and abroad. Given the demands placed on military families, the need for occasional care can be particularly relevant among this population. For instance, military families may live away from their extended families and not have other support systems to assist with child care. When a military member is deployed, one parent must assume all child care responsibilities. In addition, military members who are on temporary assigned duty (TAD) or only have their children during certain weeks of the year because of separation or divorce may need additional assistance with daily child care. Because hourly care can be used in any situation and for any reason, it ultimately helps meet the child care needs of parents who require care other than full-time care. This includes parents who have an intermittent need for child care because of work schedules, doctor visits, personal illness, and illness within the family. Hourly care also enables stay-at-home parents to take advantage of quality child care programs for their children, and all parents to tend to personal needs such as shopping, taking a nap, or having lunch with friends. In addition, some parents may need support as they cope with daily or unique stressors, and hourly care can serve as respite and temporary relief from some of the stress and burden. Respite 2
  • 5. Introduction care can directly contribute to reductions in stress and related mental/physical health problems, as well as increase the quality of life for family members. In addition to hourly care as respite care, parents may need hourly care during emergencies. The hourly care policy was put into effect to address these challenges and meet the needs of additional military families. Because CYPs offer high-quality programming, employ professionally trained early childhood and youth experts, and are tasked with supporting families to facilitate accomplishment of the Department of Defense (DoD) mission, an ideal solution to the provision of occasional care for military families is to leverage the resources offered by CYPs. CNIC is dedicated to providing CYP Professionals with the resources needed to ensure that the hourly care initiative is a beneficial experience for everyone. This includes the provision of this guidebook and the accompanying video, as well as other tools referenced in the guidebook developed for the specific goal of ensuring that the hourly care program is a valuable and successful experience. 3. STRUCTURE OF THE GUIDEBOOK This guidebook was written to accompany the hourly care video and is intended to be used as a training and reference tool for CYP Program Assistants, CYP Leads, and T&C Specialists, as well as a resource for CYP Operations Clerks. The guidebook includes the following chapters: • Hourly Care Guidance: Information on how programs should implement key components of the hourly care program. • Roles and Responsibilities: An overview of the roles and responsibilities for each CYP Professional, with detailed guidance for CYP Operations Clerks. • CDC Classroom Strategies: Detail on classroom strategies for successful implementation at CDCs, including information on the relationship between (a) hourly care strategies and accreditation standards and (b) hourly care strategies and the Creative Curriculum®, the required curriculum for CDCs. • SAC Strategies: Detail on strategies for successful implementation of the SAC program, including information on the relationship between hourly care strategies and accreditation standards. • Training Tips: Information for T&C Specialists to enhance the training of CYP Program Assistants related to the hourly care program. 3
  • 6. Hourly Care Guidance Hourly Care Guidance The CYP hourly care policy was developed so that vacant and absent spaces can be made available to parents in need of intermittent child care. CDC and SAC programs CONUS and OCONUS are required to implement the hourly care program, which includes taking reservations for hourly care 30 days in advance. Parents may no longer be asked to confirm the availability of space on the day care is needed; care is guaranteed when the reservation is made. Guidance on how to implement key components of the hourly care policy is provided in the next section. The policy is available in its entirety on the CYP Web site. In addition, appendix A includes answers to frequently asked questions related to hourly care. 1. WHO CAN USE HOURLY CARE Any eligible parent requiring care other than full- time care can use hourly care in the CDC or SAC Using Hourly Care program. Hourly care may be used in any situation The Navy hourly care program can be used for any and for any reason. The reasons parents seek hourly reason, including: care are irrelevant and should not be taken into  Tending to personal needs such as lunch with friends account when hourly care arrangements are  Attending doctor visits secured. In addition, the priorities used to place  Obtaining relief from daily stressors full-time children are not relevant for hourly care  Tending to emergency situations families. Hourly care spaces are available on a first- Reasons for care are irrelevant. Hourly care can come, first-serve basis, and as a result, all parents be used in any situation for any reason. have equal access to spaces. 2. HOW OFTEN HOURLY CARE CAN BE USED Programs should offer hourly care services to families during regular operating hours when children are present. On a regular basis, parents may not use hourly care in excess of the following: HOURLY CARE LIMITS Program Do Not Regularly Exceed Per Child Per Week CDC 25 hours SAC Before & After School 10 hours SAC Summer Camp 25 hours 4
  • 7. Hourly Care Guidance Therefore, if a parent requests care at the CDC for 24 hours in a given week and space is available, the reservation should be taken. Similarly, if a parent requests care at the SAC program for 9 hours in a given week and space is available, the reservation should be taken. There may be unique situations in which parents request more than the maximum number of hours per week for a limited period (e.g., 26 hours of care for a week at the CDC; 15 hours of care a week for 2 subsequent weeks at the SAC program during the school year). When this occurs, the CYP Director should determine whether this request can be accommodated. While hourly care is not intended to be offered full-time on a regular basis, full-week care can be provided during emergency or special situations if space is available. For example, if a parent only has their children a few weeks a year because of separation or divorce, it is acceptable for them to use full-time care at the CYP for a short period of time. In this instance the family would be charged a weekly fee based on TFI. The intent of the hourly care policy is to accommodate the child care needs of military families and fill as many spaces as possible. Therefore if space is available, the CYP should make every effort to meet the needs of families and serve the military community. 3. MAKING RESERVATIONS Parents may call the program to make a reservation for child care up to 30 days in advance or may walk into the program and inquire about receiving Reservations: A Guarantee of Care care immediately. Either method of requesting care (e.g., reservation or walk-in) is acceptable.  Once a reservation is made, the program guarantees care for the child at that program on Programs must take reservations for hourly care up to the day and time for which care was requested 30 days in advance. When space is reserved, the  Parents do not need to call back or wait until the day of the hourly care visit to confirm their program guarantees that parents will receive care for reservation their child at that program on the day and time for which care was requested. Parents do not need to call back or wait until the day of the hourly care visit to confirm the visit. When parents inquire about the availability of hourly care spaces, the CYP Clerk or other CYP Professional making the reservation should complete the Reservation Log. The log lists the total number of hourly care spaces generated by the Available Space Tool. The log enables CYP Clerks to track the total number of available spaces, the number of spaces that have been reserved, and the number of parents who request care after spaces have been filled (e.g., hourly care wait list). 5
  • 8. Hourly Care Guidance CDC programs must track available spaces and reservations by age group. SAC programs must track spaces and reservations by program variation (e.g., Before and After School or Summer Camp). Reservation logs can be found in appendix B. A checklist with information to discuss with parents when reservations for hourly care are made can be found in appendix C. 4. IDENTIFYING SPACE FOR HOURLY CARE CYP Professionals are required to use the Available Space Tool to calculate the number of hourly care slots that are available for each program on a given day. This includes calculations for (a) program-specific vacancy rates based on predicted enrollment data and (b) absences based on Navy- wide trends. The Available Space Tool calculates absences based on Navy-wide trends. Therefore, it is not necessary for programs to track absences at the program; the tool will make these predictions. The tool is critical to successful implementation of hourly care because it provides the information necessary to make reservations up to 30 days in advance without knowledge of planned absences. However, it is still important to use all available information to fill spaces at the CYP. For example, if the tool calculates zero (0) hourly care spaces and the CYP Director knows that a child will be on vacation that week, use these spaces for hourly care. Continue to track vacancies (e.g., open spaces) and enter this program-specific data into the Available Space Tool. Because the number of hourly care spaces fluctuates with changes in capacity and enrollment, the tool must be completed weekly. This way, changes to enrollment will be captured and programs will be provided accurate data related to the number of available hourly care spaces. Available Space Tool  Programs MUST take reservations 30 days in The Available Space Tool was developed after an advance by using the Available Space Tool in-depth analysis of data from CDC and SAC  The Available Space Tool calculates the programs across the Navy related to factors such as number of available hourly care spaces within each program on a given day capacity, enrollment, program size, and child age.  Knowledge of planned absences is not needed Following these statistical analyses, the hourly care to schedule hourly care visits (but can be program was piloted to determine the effectiveness helpful) and utility of the Available Space Tool.  Use the Available Space Tool weekly to obtain accurate data related to the number of hourly Adjustments were then made to the tool to care spaces incorporate lessons learned from the pilot sites and 6
  • 9. Hourly Care Guidance minimize the chances that programs will exceed ratio requirements. CNIC will continue to monitor the effectiveness and utility of the Available Space Tool and make adjustments as necessary based on feedback from the field. Step-by-step instructions on use of the Available Space Tool are provided in appendix D. 5. MANAGING OVER ENROLLMENT The Available Space Tool was designed to prevent over enrollment as much as possible. In the unlikely event that over enrollment does occur, a program must have a plan to resolve the situation. This plan will vary at each program based on the specific needs of the program and the availability of resources, but it may include the following: • Sharing of CYP Professionals among programs • Increasing the number of “on-call” flexible CYP Professionals • Moving full-time CDC children who are ready to transition to an older classroom to that room for the day. While it is acceptable to exceed group size for a few hours, ratios within the classroom must be maintained at all times. 6. HANDLING SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUES The CYP Operations Clerk should ask the parent requesting care whether their child requires any special accommodations or has special needs. The child's file should be reviewed by the Special Needs Review Board if (a) the CYP Director has concerns about the program’s ability to care for particular children, (b) additional training is needed for CYP Professionals in order to appropriately serve particular children, or (c) children with special needs will use the program regularly. Children should not be denied care because of special needs, and programs must make every effort to accept the children into the hourly care program. 7
  • 10. Roles and Responsibilities Roles and Responsibilities All CYP Professionals play an important role in implementing the hourly care policy. Major responsibilities of the CYP Director are summarized first, followed by responsibilities of the T&C Specialist, CYP Leads, CYP Program Assistants, and CYP Operations Clerks. In addition to a general description of roles and responsibilities of CYP Operations Clerks, specific steps to be undertaken by these individuals are included in this chapter. Additional information relevant to CYP Leads and Program Assistants can be found in the CDC Classroom Strategies and SAC Strategies chapters. Information relevant to the T&C Specialist is available in the Training Tips chapter. 1. CYP DIRECTOR The CYP Director is responsible for ensuring that adequate systems and procedures are in place to support implementation of the program and for presenting the program in a positive way. Without adequate processes and CYP Professionals who support the program, the hourly care program can be confusing and stressful for children, families, and CYP Professionals. The CYP Director should ensure that the following procedures have been developed at a minimum, have been communicated and are understood by all CYP Professionals, and are revised when needed to ensure smooth operation of the hourly care program. • Marketing the hourly care program • Sharing information with parents when they inquire about the hourly care program, including a checklist of items to discuss with parents and creation of new documents specific to hourly care • Registering hourly care families, including a process for disseminating, collecting, and Role of the CYP Director reviewing the required paperwork While many of these tasks are conducted by other • Tracking reservations and placing children in CYP Professionals, the CYP Director is responsible CDC classrooms for developing, monitoring, and revising systems • Tracking children on an hourly care wait list and processes to support implementation of the hourly care program. • Communicating reservation details to all CYP Professionals, including the CYP Director, T&C Specialist, CYP Leads, and CYP Program Assistants • Escorting new families to assigned CDC classrooms 8
  • 11. Roles and Responsibilities • Monitoring hourly care families’ actual arrival and departure times compared to their scheduled arrival and departure times so fees can be calculated correctly • Collecting and tracking fees • Creating a system for filing hourly care documentation • Coordinating plans to resolve possible over enrollment situations. In sum, CYP Directors are responsible for ensuring that the hourly care program is implemented successfully. This includes keeping all CYP Professionals focused on the importance of the hourly care program to military families, ensuring that the intent of the program is clearly communicated to everyone involved, and ensuring that expectations and roles are clear among all CYP Professionals. For instance, the CYP Director should ensure that CYP Program Assistants and Leads understand that specific classroom assignments often cannot be made until the morning of the hourly care visit, and that advance notice of hourly care visits may not always be possible. Anticipating and clarifying this and other implementation issues is key to reducing communication problems and confusion related to implementation of the hourly care program. Effectively marketing and communicating the key elements of the hourly care program on the base is critical. Not only will parents benefit from clear messages about how the program operates, but referring organizations will obtain a better understanding of the premise of the policy. Without this information, referring organizations may unintentionally misinform parents about the hourly care policy. Market the hourly care program at Command indocs, clinics, Fleet and Family Support, with ombudsman, and with the Command Master Chief. If miscommunication occurs, take the time to clarify the purpose, intent, and details of the hourly care program with other organizations and individuals on base. Effectively communicating the hourly care policy to CYP Professionals is an equally important task of the CYP Director. Directors must present the program in a positive way and provide the necessary support to all CYP Professionals to ensure the program’s success. This includes working with the Resource and Referral office so these individuals understand the hourly care policy and are better able to market it effectively and refer families appropriately to the hourly care program. 2. T&C SPECIALIST The T&C Specialist is responsible for ensuring that all CYP Professionals have received training on the hourly care program, clearly understand their roles in the program, and have the skills necessary for successful implementation. In addition to training, T&C Specialists are required to conduct observations of CDC Program Assistants during hourly care visits, role model different strategies for working with children and 9
  • 12. Roles and Responsibilities families in the classroom, and offer individualized coaching to support Program Assistants and Leads. The Training Tips chapter provides additional guidance for T&C Specialists. 3. CYP LEAD The primary role of the CYP Lead as it relates to the hourly care program is to support CYP Program Assistants with implementation of the program on a daily basis. This may involve reinforcing the training that Program Assistants received from the T&C Specialist by role modeling strategies in the classroom or providing additional tips related to classroom management. In addition, Leads may also work with the regularly enrolled children in the classroom to provide Program Assistants opportunities to comfort hourly care children who are having particularly difficult separations from their parents or provide individualized attention for these children during transitions such as lunch or nap. Regardless of the specific support provided, CYP Leads play an important role in implementing the hourly care program and must be aware of the number of hourly care children in a facility on a given day, and be available to help CYP Program Assistants in any way possible. This includes becoming proficient with the strategies outlined in the CDC Classroom Strategies and SAC Strategies chapters and supporting Program Assistants with implementation of these strategies. 4. CYP PROGRAM ASSISTANT The primary role of the CYP Program Assistant is to integrate hourly care families and children into the daily routine and ensure that transitions are as smooth as possible. This requires implementation of many strategies that are already in place—careful planning, good communication, transition techniques, and strategies for working with any new family or child. Having well established, strong classroom routines are critical to successful classroom management in general. These same principles will ease the transition of new children into the classroom or program. Additional strategies to support CYP Program Assistants with successful implementation of the hourly care program are outlined in the CDC Classroom Strategies and SAC Strategies chapters. Program Assistants are required to read these strategies and incorporate new systems into their daily activities. 5. CYP OPERATIONS CLERK CYP Operations Clerks play a crucial role in coordinating and implementing the hourly care policy. They are responsible for determining the number of hourly care spaces available on a daily basis, explaining the program to parents, reserving space, collecting registration materials, communicating 10
  • 13. Roles and Responsibilities hourly care reservations to other CYP Professionals, monitoring use of the hourly care program, collecting the appropriate fees from parents, and welcoming children and families to the program upon arrival. As noted, the CYP Director is responsible for ensuring that these processes are in place, and the T&C Specialist is responsible for ensuring that the Operations Clerk understands his/her role and has received sufficient training to be successful. A step-by-step description of Operations Clerks’ responsibilities is provided next. 5.1 Use the Available Space Tool to Calculate Spaces • Receive training on the Available Space Tool in order to understand the core principles related to calculation of hourly care spaces. • Use the Available Space Tool weekly to determine the number of hourly care spaces available. 5.2 Prepare Reservation Logs • Complete the Reservation Log by transferring the “Total Hourly Care Spaces” number from the Available Space Tool to the reservation log “spaces” column. • Create enough reservation logs – one for each week in a 30-day period – in order to have the information needed to take reservations up to 30 days in advance. 5.3 Explain the Hourly Care Program to Parents • Be knowledgeable about all aspects of the hourly care program. Keep a copy of the Hourly Care Policy letter and Hourly Care Guidebook available as a resource. • When parents call requesting information about the hourly care program, explain that reservations can be made 30 days in advance on a first-come, first-serve basis. • Explain the fee policy to parents, which includes information related to extensions, cancellations, and no-shows. • Explain the child registration and attendance requirements to parents and answer any questions they may have about the hourly care program or the CYP in general. 5.4 Reserve Space • Refer to the Reservation Checklist in appendix C for a list of items to discuss with parents. • If space is available, use the Reservation Log (see appendix B) to take a reservation. Record information about the hourly care visit, including the first and last name of the parent and child, parent’s telephone number, child’s age, date and time care is requested, and any comments about the child or parent. Remember to ask parents if their child has any special needs, including allergies, and whether their child will be taking medication during the visit. 11
  • 14. Roles and Responsibilities • CDC-specific information: Because specific classroom assignments for CDC programs often cannot be made until the morning of the hourly care visit, this information is typically not recorded at the time the reservation is made. • SAC-specific information: When making a reservation at the SAC program, determine whether transportation can be provided, and if so, make these arrangements and make a notation on the Reservation Log. • Once hourly care spaces have been filled, create a wait list by placing names of parents requesting care on the Reservation Log and writing “Wait List” under the “Reserved Space or Wait List” column. Contact parents on the wait list if there is a cancellation or if additional space is available on the day for which the care was requested. 5.5 Distribute Welcome Materials to First Time Parents • Distribute welcome materials to first time parents with basic information about the program and all required forms. As noted, the CYP Director will identify the content of this informational package and ensure that documents specific to the hourly care program are created as needed. • Welcome materials may include the following: o Information specific to hourly care, such as a one-page information sheet o List of required supplies (e.g., diapers and bottles for infants, toothbrushes for preschoolers, packed lunches for SAC children) o Sample CDC classroom schedule/SAC program activity list so parents understand the general structure of the day for the age of care requested and can communicate this to their child o For the CDC, a checklist of suggested comfort items for their child (e.g., family photograph, taped lullabies, favorite toy, stuffed animal) o For the CDC, information on the Creative Curriculum® specific to their child’s age group • Welcome materials must include the following required CNIC registration forms. Hourly care can not be provided until these documents have been completed, except in emergency situations. o CNICCYP 1700/04, Navy CYP Registration Form o Parent Hourly Care Fee Agreement o For CDC, CNICCYP 1700/07, Navy CYP Child and Family Profile, a form that may ease transition issues and provide information needed for CYP Program Assistants to more effectively integrate children into the classroom or program o Field Trip Permission Form o Photo Permission Form 12
  • 15. Roles and Responsibilities o CNICCYP 1700/08, Navy CYP Medical Authorization Form, if applicable o Immunization records (required within 30 days of first hourly care visit) for CDC children, or documentation as outlined in OPNAV 1700.9E explaining why the child is not immunized o Special needs information, if applicable. 5.6 Encourage First Time Parents to Tour the Program • Encourage new parents to visit the program prior to the child’s first hourly care visit. • Explain to parents how a tour of the program can assist their child’s transition to the program by increasing their familiarity with the program. • Using the process put into place by the CYP Director, make arrangements for a parent orientation session or tour of the facility. 5.7 Place CDC Children in Age-Appropriate Classrooms • At the CDC, work with the entire team to determine the best placements for CDC children. Because the Available Space Tool calculates spaces by age group rather than by classroom, these placements often cannot be made until the morning of the hourly care visit. • When possible, place hourly care children in the same CDC classroom on subsequent visits to ensure continuity of care. This helps children feel a sense of belonging and greater sense of security. 5.8 Share Information With CYP Professionals • Share hourly care reservation details with the CYP Director, T&C Specialist, CYP Leads, CYP Program Assistants, and the CYP Cook. This includes telling management when reservations are made and sharing information with CYP Program Assistants after classroom assignments have been made. • Use the system created by the CYP Director to share information. For example, the Director may ask Clerks give Program Assistants a copy of the Reservation Log and the completed Navy CYP Child and Family Profile form. • Critical information to share includes the parent’s name and contact number; name and age of the child; date of the visit; planned arrival and departure times; any special considerations such as allergies, special needs, and medications; and if transportation will be provided for SAC children. • At the CDC, implement the system developed by the CYP Director for communicating which classroom hourly care children will be placed so any CYP Professional can direct the child and parent to the appropriate classroom during their visit. The process might include placing the completed Registration Log in an easily accessible location at the front desk for any CYP 13
  • 16. Roles and Responsibilities Professional to review. Communicating classroom assignments for hourly care children helps ensure a smooth drop off for families, especially if the Operations Clerk steps away from the front desk. 5.9 Collect, Review, and File Registration Materials • Collect all required registration forms during the initial visit. • Review the forms to ensure that each is completed correctly. • Using the system created by the CYP Director, file registration materials for each child participating in the hourly care program. Maintain files for hourly care children in a separate area from full-time children’s files so both sets of files can be accessed easily. 5.10 Monitor Arrival • Greet parents upon arrival and remind them to sign in. • At the CDC, using the system put in place by the CYP Director, notify a CYP Professional (e.g., T&C Specialist, CYP Lead, CYP Director) that a new family is at the front desk and ready to be escorted to their assigned classroom. This ensures that parents know where to drop-off their children and sets a welcoming tone. 5.11 Calculate and Collect Fees • Using actual arrival and departure information, calculate fees, and collect payment from parents. Payment must be made at the end of each hourly visit. • Thank parents for visiting and encourage them to come again. 14
  • 17. CDC Classroom Strategies CDC Classroom Strategies The purpose of this chapter is to provide CYP Program Assistants and Leads in CDCs with the strategies needed to successfully implement hourly care. CNIC is dedicated to ensuring high quality in all Navy CYPs and achieves this in part through regulations, annual inspections, and required accreditation. Accreditation standards from NAEYC support the Navy’s goal of meeting high standards across all its programs. NAEYC accreditation requires that programs are offered with consistent procedures, careful planning, and thorough implementation. Hourly care, as one of the programs offered by Navy CYPs, is held to these same standards. Hourly care should be treated as a part of regular programming so it becomes an expected and consistent part of the curriculum and daily routine in CDC classrooms. The Creative Curriculum®, the required curriculum for Navy CDCs, is aligned with NAEYC accreditation standards and provides the philosophy, structure, and strategies for programs to meet the standards. The Creative Curriculum® also provides support for implementing hourly care in the classroom. The curriculum’s strategies for planning, setting up the environment, building classroom community and creating positive relationships are all relevant to successfully incorporating hourly care into regular programming. Strategies for incorporating hourly care into CDC classrooms are presented in the following three sections: • Planning and Preparation • The Hourly Care Visit: Creating Relationships • Reflect and Document. Each section provides information on the alignment of hourly care strategies with NAEYC accreditation standards and the Creative Curriculum®, and outlines specific steps to follow so that hourly care is incorporated smoothly into the daily routine. 1. PLANNING AND PREPARATION When hourly care is expected and planned for as part of each day, CYP Program Assistants, Leads, children, and families are prepared for its occurrence, and children are incorporated more easily into the routine. As stated in the Creative Curriculum®, “A daily schedule establishes the consistency that helps young children to predict the sequence of events and thus to feel more secure and more in control of their day.” 15
  • 18. CDC Classroom Strategies Planning and preparing for hourly care includes the following components, which are described in more detail within this section: • Incorporate hourly care into regular planning sessions • Prepare the environment and gather materials • Build classroom community. 1.1 Incorporate Hourly Care Into Regular Planning Sessions During regular planning sessions, all elements of the hourly care program should be planned and/or reviewed to ensure the continual seamless integration of the program into the daily routine. It is important to work as a team to welcome and transition visiting children into the program. Leads can provide additional support by modeling, clarifying implementation strategies, and assisting in the classrooms; T&C Specialists can observe and share classroom management strategies. The following steps should be followed during planning sessions. Create and Review the Hourly Care Communication System Hourly care communication systems are designed to keep everyone informed of visiting children. While communication systems may vary at each CYP, each classroom must have the following: • A place to keep information on visiting children such as the Navy CYP Child and Family Profile and a copy of the Reservation Log. The designated space could be a clipboard, bulletin board, or other common area accessible to all Program Assistants and Leads working in the classroom. • A message board outside the door of the classroom that welcomes visiting children and their families and informs other families of visitors to the program. Discussing the effectiveness of the communication system and making adjustments as needed is important. During planning sessions, ensure that one CYP Program Assistant in each classroom is designated to post a welcome message outside the classroom. Plan for Arrival of Children Throughout the Day Plan for the arrival of visiting children during all times of the day, including meals and nap. Consider the following questions: • Where will the children sit during a group activity? • Where will the children who arrive during lunch or snack time sit? • Where will the children rest? 16
  • 19. CDC Classroom Strategies • Who will be available at each of these times to assist the children with routine activities? Careful, thorough planning for the arrival of visiting children at different times of the day minimizes disruption by helping children blend into the existing program more quickly and allows CYP Program Assistants to focus on the needs of all children so routine activities continue to operate smoothly. 1.2 Prepare the Environment and Gather Materials The Creative Curriculum® states, “A physical setting that is safe, attractive, comfortable and well designed helps children engage in the activities offered.” Thoughtfully setting up the environment for visiting children helps them feel comfortable, transition into the classroom more easily, and feel like a part of the ongoing program. The following sections outline steps that should be taken to prepare the environment, including preparation of materials. Create and Maintain an Hourly Care Kit Create and maintain an hourly care kit so that materials used during hourly care visits are readily accessible if needed. Check the contents of the kit periodically and replenish materials as needed. A plastic bin, sturdy box, or basket can be used for the container. The kit contains items to meet the following purposes and should be adapted to meet the needs of each age group and tailored to the needs of particular children who visit more often: • Materials to identify the child’s cubby or basket for their belongings or to label items from home (labels, markers, name tags) • Comfort items to help children during transitions o For children of all ages, a comfort item might include a stuffed animal o For infants, comfort items might include items that can be held such as a rattle, teething ring, and plastic keys, or a CD with lullabies o For toddlers and preschoolers, a comfort item might include small cars • A plastic frame or photo album for a picture from home • A welcome puppet (e.g., familiar animal or pet such as a dog, cat, teddy bear, or rabbit) • Books to be used at resting time or to ease transitions (See children’s books in appendix E). o For infants, include board books with pictures of babies and other familiar items, such as “Baby Faces Board Book” by Roberta Intrater o For pretoddlers, include board books about family and friends, such as “Who Loves You, Baby?” by Nina Laden o For toddlers, include books about coming to school, such as “Spot Goes to School” by Eric Hill 17
  • 20. CDC Classroom Strategies o For preschoolers, include books about coming to school, such as “Wemberly Worried” by Kevin Henkes • Resources for parents on separation anxiety, child development, and strategies for saying goodbye (See appendix E) • Camera and printer (or Polaroid camera if a printer is not available) to take the children’s pictures for their cubbies, a visiting friends board or album, and to share with parents at pick- up. Pictures can also be taken of parents for children to look at during their visits • Message board (if one is not already in place outside the door to the classroom) and dry-erase markers to let other families know when there is a visitor • Daily care forms to collect information on the child and give to parents at the end of the visit (See appendix F). Designate Space for Hourly Care Children’s Belongings Identify a cubby or basket to be used for visiting children. Use the supplies in the hourly care kit to make a name tag for the cubby or basket. Labeling the cubby or basket with children’s names and/or pictures helps ensure the parents and children feel welcome and part of the classroom. Refresh the Cozy Space The Creative Curriculum® provides information on creating a place where children can be alone (e.g., a cozy space). This is a place where children can be by themselves, with an adult, or with one or two other children until they are comfortable joining the group. A cozy space can be helpful for visiting children who have difficulty transitioning. Check the materials in the designated cozy space weekly and refresh it as needed to include soft Cozy Spaces for Infants and Pretoddlers places to sit, stuffed animals, books, and soothing music. Be sure this area is inviting, neatly arranged, For infants and pretoddlers, the appropriate cozy and placed where children can still observe space is often in a Program Assistant’s arms or lap. classroom interactions and activities. Create and Update the Visiting Friends Board or Album All classrooms must have a visiting friend’s board or picture album. Check periodically to ensure that all pictures of visiting children taken during the previous week have been added to the board or album, and that all photographs are labeled with the visiting children’s names and date of their visit. The purpose of the board or album is to reflect the visiting children in the environment and involve the regularly enrolled children in talking about friends who have visited their classroom. 18
  • 21. CDC Classroom Strategies 1.3 Build Classroom Community Community building in the classroom is a cornerstone of the Creative Curriculum®. The curriculum defines community as a place in the classroom where children know they are safe both physically and emotionally so that all children have a sense of belonging and rejection or hurtful behavior is minimized. Hourly care provides additional opportunities to help children develop the skills needed to create a community of caring. By implementing the following steps, children are supported in welcoming new friends into their classroom. Share Stories That Support the Classroom Community Incorporate stories with themes related to making friends, coming to new places, starting school, and saying goodbye to help the children relate to feelings of visiting children. These books can be read as a planned group activity or individually, and can be shared with both regularly enrolled children and visitors. A selection of children’s books is provided in appendix E. Talk About Visiting Friends With the Children Talk with the children about new friends coming into the classroom and joining them in their activities. The Creative Curriculum® recognizes that children’s classroom community includes learning to develop friendships. CYP Program Assistants must help children learn to connect with others, develop positive relationships, and negotiate conflicts. Conversation about new friends is appropriate for infants as well as older children. Refer to the Visiting Friends Board or Album Look at the pictures of friends who visited the classroom periodically as a part of morning circle or morning activities. Sharing memories of the children who have visited conveys respect and Referring to the Visiting Friends Board: Infants and Pretoddlers caring and sends a message that everyone belongs to the community, even if they only visit for a short This activity can be conducted one-on-one or in a period of time. Ask the children the following small group using a photo album that the children can easily handle. questions: • What do they remember about each friend who visited? • Who do they think might be coming today? • What do they think their friends who are not coming in today might be doing? 19
  • 22. CDC Classroom Strategies Inform the Children as Soon as Possible When information is received about an hourly care visit to a particular classroom, inform the children Informing Pretoddlers and Toddlers right away so they can be prepared. Advance notice, even on the morning of the hourly care visit, helps Pretoddlers and toddlers are especially concerned when someone enters the classroom. Telling them children prepare for a possible change to the routine in advance about the visit and looking at a picture that often occurs when someone new transitions into of the visiting child if one is available can help allay those concerns. the group. Implement a “Buddy” System in Preschool Classrooms Include preschool children in planning for and engaging with visiting children by encouraging them to be a “buddy” for visitors. Involve them in determining the role of the buddy as someone who helps visitors feel welcome by engaging them in activities and introducing them to other friends in the program. The job of buddy should be added to the job chart, as recommended in the Creative Curriculum®. 2. THE HOURLY CARE VISIT: CREATING RELATIONSHIPS An hourly care visit begins when the children and families enter the classroom. The strategies identified in this section are targeted to address critical transition periods and are provided in the order below: • Arrival – greeting and welcoming families into the classroom • Transition into the routine – helping children engage with CYP Professionals, other children, and activities • Departure – helping children transition back to the parents and ending the visit positively. 2.1 Arrival The arrival of families into the classroom is a critical time for the success of the hourly care program. First impressions are often lasting impressions. NAEYC expects CYP Program Assistants to use a welcoming tone and greet children and families in an open and supportive manner. The steps below should be followed during the arrival of visiting children and families. 20
  • 23. CDC Classroom Strategies Review Information About Hourly Children Read the information provided by the CYP Operations Clerk about the visiting children and families. This may include the Navy CYP Child and Family Profile and Reservation Log. Warmly Welcome Children and Parents CYP Program Assistants should warmly welcome children and families into the classroom. This is important for all families but especially important when someone uses the program occasionally. The impression made may influence parents’ decision for future hourly visits or for considering full-time care. Providing a warm welcome for hourly care parents and children also influences the comfort level of visiting children and may positively influence the reactions of the other children to having a new member in classroom for the day. Help parents sign in, label items from home using materials from the hourly care kit, and put the children’s belongings in the cubbies or baskets labeled with their names or photographs. This sends a message to parents and children that they are welcome in your classroom. Ask parents to complete their portion of the daily care form– a form that is required for all hourly care children. Assure them of your training and experience in working with children so parents feel secure leaving their children for the day. Providing this information builds trust, a concept emphasized in the Creative Curriculum®. Answer Parents’ Questions Take time to answer parents’ questions related to the daily schedule, activities, supervision, meals, and nap times. The Creative Curriculum® requires the daily schedule to be posted for parents on the parent bulletin board along with the menu and pictures of children participating in various activities. Refer parents to this schedule and provide them with a copy if requested. 2.2 Transition Into the Routine After greeting the children and parents, help the children transition into the classroom and become engaged in the routine and with the other children. Follow these steps to help visiting children make that transition. Encourage a Positive Separation Help parents separate from their children—encourage them to stay a few minutes while their children get settled and then say goodbye. If the children are upset, reassure the parents that their 21
  • 24. CDC Classroom Strategies child’s response is normal. Inform the parents that you have strategies for helping children transition comfortably into the classroom routine. Talk in a warm, caring, comforting tone to both parents and children. Provide parents with articles from the hourly care kit on separation anxiety and/or saying goodbye. Let parents know they can check on their children throughout the day. Easing anxiety for both parents and children will result in an easier day for everyone. In Preschool Classrooms, Introduce Visiting Children to Their Buddy Introduce preschool visiting children to their buddy and help the buddy show the visiting friend around the room, introduce the visitor to the regularly enrolled children, and invite the visitor to engage in activities. Provide Comfort Items and/or Transition Time and Space The Creative Curriculum® provides guidance for transitions that are relaxed, smooth, and planned ahead of time. If visiting children are upset or hesitant, offer them a comfort item from the hourly care kit appropriate for their age. Provide physical comfort by holding upset children or letting them sit on your lap near the other children. If parents bring a picture from home, put it in a frame or album from your hourly care kit and place it where the child can see it during the visit. Separation can be easier to deal with when relieved by the pleasure of reunion, and photos can help serve that purpose. For toddlers and preschoolers, show them the cozy space and let them know it is okay to be there until they are ready to join the other children. Assist Children to Engage in an Activity and With Other Children NAEYC criteria state that staff interact and engage with all children to support their entering into activities, engaging in social opportunities, and Engaging Infants and Pretoddlers experiencing overall success throughout their visit. Support visiting children as they transition into the Infants and pretoddlers often need the reassurance daily routine and activities. For nonverbal children, from a CYP Program Assistant even once they have if information is available about children’s favorite become engaged in an activity. activities or toys, engage them in those activities. If not, show them choices in the classroom to determine their interests. Once they are engaged, stay nearby to offer support as needed. Provide Additional Support at Meal Times and Nap Be available during meals and at nap time to provide additional support to visiting children. Visiting children who are new to the program will be unfamiliar with the routines and may require additional support during routines. This is especially true for infants, pretoddlers, and toddlers who may have very different routines for meals at home. Visiting children also may not have experience serving 22
  • 25. CDC Classroom Strategies themselves or pouring their own milk. Because visiting children may not sleep, place their cots where they can easily look at books or play quietly without disturbing other children. Becoming familiar with the napping routines of hourly care children and the ways parents comfort them at home is helpful. 2.3 Departure The end of the hourly care visit provides another opportunity to create relationships with parents or other family members who pick up the children. Once again, planning and preparation are keys to making pick up time successful. Implement the following strategies for a successful departure. Be Ready for Parents’ Arrival Check the Reservation Log to determine what time parents plan to pick up their children. Prepare the children if necessary (i.e., trip to bathroom or diaper change, cleanup of an activity) and gather their belongings before the parents arrive. Share Information About the Day NAEYC requires CYP Professionals to build positive relationships with families and share valuable information regarding their children’s day. Complete the daily care form – a form that is required for all Departure Tips hourly care children – so this can be provided to Younger children might start to cry when they see their parent. If this happens, reassure parents that parents to inform them about the routines and the tears are more about loving the parent than activities. The CYP Program Assistant should step about being unhappy in the situation. away from activities to talk with parents and share information for a smooth transition out of the program. If The child is learning how ofbe away from the parent pictures were taken to the children during and crying is a normal coping technique for children. the day or if the children completed a project, give these to the parents as a reminder of the visit along with the daily care form. Encourage Another Visit Encourage the parents to stay with their children in the classroom at the end of the visit so parents and children will feel more comfortable for the next visit. In addition, if parents plan to bring their children back for another hourly visit and the day was a difficult one, encourage the parents to come back and stay with their children between hourly care visits. 23
  • 26. CDC Classroom Strategies 3. REFLECT AND DOCUMENT Each hourly care visit provides opportunities to increase the overall quality of this service within the regular program. Reflection and documentation are essential components of completing the planning and implementation process. After each visit, follow these steps: 3.1 Reflect on Each Hourly Visit Reflect on each hourly care visit and identify what went well and any challenges that occurred. Discuss these ideas during the next planning session and brainstorm strategies to improve the provision of hourly care in the future. Leads and T&C Specialists can provide additional ideas and support. 3.2 Record and File Information About the Hourly Visit Using the system created by the CYP Director, file a copy of the daily care form for each hourly care visit. Add information on successes and challenges from the reflection process to the daily care form, as well as strategies that can be used to assist the children during their next visits. 24
  • 27. SAC Strategies SAC Strategies The purpose of this chapter is to provide CYP Program Assistants and Leads with strategies to incorporate hourly care into the SAC program. CNIC is dedicated to ensuring high quality in all Navy CYPs and achieves this in part through regulations, annual inspections, and required accreditation. Accreditation standards from COA support the Navy’s goal of meeting high standards across all its programs. Hourly care, as one of the programs offered by Navy CYPs, is held to these same standards. When hourly care is included as a part of regular programming, it becomes an expected and consistent part of the daily activities in the SAC program. Strategies for incorporating hourly care into SAC programs are presented in the following three sections: • Planning and Preparation • The Hourly Care Visit: Creating Relationships • Reflect and Document. 1. PLANNING AND PREPARATION Implementation of hourly care in SAC programs requires fewer strategies because the children are older and in most cases they know each other from school or the neighborhood. Even so, it is still important for Program Assistants to plan, prepare the environment, build community, create positive relationships, and document hourly care visits. Planning will prepare Program Assistants to address any unique situations that may arise. During regular planning sessions, the hourly care program should be planned for and reviewed to ensure its continual seamless integration into the regular program. COA standards require planning for a classroom environment that is well organized, comfortable, and inviting that encourages each child to explore, discover and experiment. The following steps should be included during planning sessions. 1.1 Create and Review the Hourly Care Communication System Hourly care communication systems are designed to keep everyone informed of visiting children coming into the program each day. Each SAC program must have a place where information on hourly care children is available to all CYP Professionals working in the program. The designated 25
  • 28. SAC Strategies space could be a clipboard, bulletin board, or other common area accessible to all Program Assistants and Leads. Clear communication is especially important when transportation is needed for hourly care children to and from school. This is a new process for the children. Providing information for all CYP Professionals in the program ensures children arrive safely at their destinations. Discussing the effectiveness of the communication system and making adjustments as needed is important to ensure everyone has the information needed to welcome hourly care children and parents into the SAC program. 1.2 Designate Space for Hourly Care Children’s Belongings Identify cubbies or lockers to be used by visiting children. Labeling cubbies or lockers with children’s names helps ensure that the children feel welcome and part of the SAC program. 1.3 Build Community Build community in the program by talking with the regularly enrolled SAC children about new friends. Many of the hourly care children may already know the regularly enrolled children from school and/or neighborhoods. Program Assistants must help all children learn to connect with others and develop positive relationships. Hourly care offers visiting and regularly enrolled children opportunities to develop these social skills. Hourly care provides opportunities for SAC children to develop social competence. Include SAC children in planning for and engaging with visiting children by encouraging them to welcome visitors, engage with them in activities, and introduce them to other friends in the program. If visiting children are new to the installation or program they might appreciate having a “buddy” at the beginning of their visit to help them become acquainted with the program and the children. Discuss the concept of being a “buddy” to determine who might be interested and what they think a “buddy” could do to help new children transition into the program. Ensure that children who are new to the installation have been identified by the Youth Sponsorship Program and have been provided with a peer mentor. A peer mentor can provide tours of the program, invitations to upcoming events, and information about the local area. Ideally mentors have shared interests or are from the same school or neighborhood. 26
  • 29. SAC Strategies 2. THE HOURLY CARE VISIT: CREATING RELATIONSHIPS The strategies identified in this section address arrival, transition into the program, and departure of the hourly care children. Preparation and communication play a part in ensuring that these visits are comfortable and trouble-free for everyone. 2.1 Welcome Hourly Care Children into the Program Ensure that all hourly care children and their parents are warmly welcomed into the SAC program. COA standards require greeting children and families in an open and supportive manner, welcoming children by name, and assisting them to engage successfully into the new environment. Show the children the space that has been designated for their belongings and answer any questions the parents and/or children have about the program and daily activities. Talk with the children about their interests and help them find an activity that they enjoy. 2.2 Ensure Hourly Care Children are Engaged and Comfortable Program Assistants and Leads should ensure all hourly care children engage in activities they enjoy and connect with other children in the SAC program. While most children will transition easily into the program, some hourly care children may be shy or slow to warm up, especially if they are new to the installation or have come to the SAC program for the first time. In these situations, call on a “buddy” or the peer mentor from the Youth Sponsorship Program to introduce the visiting children to other friends and include them in activities. Try to match the visitors with children who attend their school or live in their neighborhood. 2.3 Share Information about the Day with Parents Establish open communication with parents and share information with them about their children’s day and ask if there are any concerns. This is also a COA standard and lets parents know you are available if they have questions about the SAC program or about the visits. Also share information about the other Youth Programs and special events and encourage them to participate. 27
  • 30. SAC Strategies 3. REFLECT AND DOCUMENT Each hourly care visit provides an opportunity to increase the overall quality of this service within the regular SAC program. Reflection and documentation are essential components of completing the planning and implementation process. Reflect on each hourly care visit and identify what went well, any challenges that occurred, and strategies that might be used during future visits. Document information that would be helpful to other CYP Professionals for future visits and file the information using the system created by the CYP Director. 28
  • 31. Training Tips Training Tips This chapter provides tips for the T&C Specialist to use when conducting hourly care training sessions for CYP Professionals as well as strategies related to conducting classroom observations and modeling. The information is organized to support both the video and the guidebook. Each section provides specific training tips and questions for discussion related to the objective of the section. 1. TRAINING All CYP Professionals are required to have training related to hourly care. Training is best divided into at least two segments. The first segment should focus on the overall purpose of the hourly care program and the roles and responsibilities of all CYP Professionals. The second segment should be tailored specifically for the following three groups and should focus on specific duties: (a) Operations Clerks, (b) Program Assistants and Leads in CDC classrooms, and (c) SAC Program Assistants and Leads. 1.1 Hourly Care Overview Training The purpose of the “Hourly Care Overview” training session is to provide information on the purpose and goals of hourly care, components of the hourly care program, and roles and responsibilities of all CYP Professionals as they relate to implementation of the program. Everyone should understand the various roles to ensure that the program runs smoothly. To conduct this training, follow these guidelines: • Provide the overview training in a large or small group setting depending on the training plan and schedule in each location. • Require all CYP Professionals to read the Introduction, Hourly Care Guidance, and Roles and Responsibilities sections in the Hourly Care Guidebook prior to the training session. Information in these chapters provides the rationale for the program, guidance on how families can use this service, and an outline of roles and responsibilities by job description. • Review the assigned information with the group. Ask the following questions to encourage discussion: o What questions do you have about the hourly care program? o How do you see hourly care benefiting Navy families? o What are the benefits for currently enrolled children and families? 29
  • 32. Training Tips o Why is it important to establish and maintain a communication system for the hourly care program? o Why is it important to understand everyone’s roles and responsibilities related to hourly care? Remind all CYP Operations Clerks, Program Assistants, and Leads that they are required to attend the second segment of training, which is specifically designed for their position. 1.2 Tailored Training Tailored training is designed to provide specific training for Operations Clerks, CYP Program Assistants, and Leads that is directly related to their duties and the challenges encountered during implementation of the hourly care program. Training for CYP Operations Clerks Require CYP Operation Clerks to review appendices B, C, and D in the guidebook prior to coming to their tailored training session. These appendices are specific to their duties (e.g., Reservation Log, Reservation Checklist, Available Space Tool instructions). To conduct this training, follow these guidelines: • Review the duties of Operation Clerks outlined in the guidebook and clarify any questions. • View the entire video, but focus the discussion primarily on the part of the video related to the roles and responsibilities of the Operations Clerk. • Discuss the content of the video and guidebook using these questions as prompts: o What challenges are you encountering related to use of the Available Space Tool? What strategies can be developed to help meet those challenges? o Is the Reservation Log an effective communiation tool within the program? If not, what would improve communication among CYP Professionals? o What questions are you receiving from parents when they inquire about hourly care? Are you able to answer their questions? If not, what information is needed so that you can more fully respond and meet their needs? o What other challenges are you facing in implementing your responsibilities as the Operations Clerk? What is needed to help you meet those challenges? Encourage Operations Clerks to seek assistance from you or the CYP Director if they have questions about implementing the hourly care program so issues can be resolved immediately. 30
  • 33. Training Tips Training for CDC Program Assistants and Leads Training for CDC Program Assistants and Leads can be provided in a single group session or small groups organized by the ages of children served (e.g., infants, pretoddlers and toddlers, and preschoolers). This training session is an opportunity for CDC Program Assistants and Leads to review the strategies in the video and guidebook, share their successes and challenges, and receive support and additional ideas. To conduct this training, follow these guidelines: • Prior to the session, ask Program Assistants and Leads read the CDC Classroom Strategies chapter and reflect on application of these strategies in their classrooms. • View the entire video, but focus the discussion primarily on the part of the video, which shows the application of the classroom strategies. • Discuss the content of the video and guidebook chapter by using these questions as prompts: o How does the provision of hourly care in the Navy CYP align with NAEYC accreditation standards? o How can the Creative Curriculum® be used to support implementation of hourly care in the classroom? o What is the impact of planning and preparation for hourly care on the hourly care visits? o How can you use the items in your kit to support hourly care? o What challenges are you facing as you implement hourly care with your age group? What do you need to help meet those challenges? o What new strategies have you implemented to facilitate the provision of hourly care? In planning? During the hourly care visit? Remind the CYP Program Assistants and Leads that you will be observing, coaching, and modeling in the classrooms, and that they are required to implement all the strategies presented in the guidebook and video. Training for SAC Program Assistants and Leads This training session allows Program Assistants and Leads who work in SAC programs opportunities to review strategies that apply specifically to their program and share successes and challenges related to implementation of the hourly care program. To conduct this training, follow these guidelines: • Prior to the session, ask CYP Program Assistants and Leads read the SAC Strategies chapter and reflect on application of these strategies in their programs. 31
  • 34. Training Tips • View the entire video, but focus the discussion primarily on the video segment that shows the application of SAC program strategies. • Discuss the content of the video and guidebook chapter by using these questions as prompts: o How does provision of hourly care in the Navy CYP align with COA accreditation standards? o How does having a communication system contribute to the overall success of hourly care visits in the SAC program? o How would you know that a child is having difficulty adjusting to visiting your program? What can you do to assist a child in this situation? o What strategies do you think will be most helpful to you in implementing hourly care? Remind the Program Assistants and Leads that they are required to implement the strategies presented in the guidebook and video. 2. CDC CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS, COACHING, AND MODELING Training is only valuable to CYP Professionals and programs if it translates into competency when working with children. The T&C Specialist has a unique role in supporting Program Assistants and Leads in developing these competencies. Observations, coaching, and modeling should be carried out in all CDC classrooms to ensure implementation of and comfort with the classroom/program strategies. This follow-up to tailored training sessions offers the T&C Specialist an opportunity to work directly with Program Assistants and Leads on targeted areas that need strengthening. 2.1 CDC Classroom Observations As the T&C Specialist, you should observe (a) planning sessions, (b) the classroom environment, and (c) the regularly enrolled children in the CDC program. Use the following checklists as a guide for these observations. 32
  • 35. Training Tips CDC Planning and Preparation Checklist The T&C Specialist should use the following checklist as a guide for observations related to planning sessions, organization of the classroom, and strategies used by CYP Professionals to build classroom community prior to hourly care visits. During the weekly planning session, each team should:  Create and review the hourly care communication system  Plan for the arrival of children throughout the day To maintain the environment and materials, Program Assistants should:  Create and maintain an hourly care kit  Designate a space for the hourly care children’s belongings  Refresh the cozy space  Create and update the visiting friends board or album To build classroom community, Program Assistants and Leads should:  Share stories that support the classroom community  Talk about visiting friends with the children  Refer to the visiting friends board or album  Inform the children about visitors as soon as possible  Implement a “buddy” system in preschool classrooms CDC Hourly Visit Checklist The T&C Specialist should observe in the classroom during arrival of the hourly care family and the transition of the child into the classroom activities. Return at the end of the visit to observe the departure. Use the following checklist as a guide during these observations. When a family arrives in the classroom the CYP Program Assistant should:  Review information about hourly care children  Warmly welcome children and parents  Answer parents’ questions To help the hourly child transition, the CYP Program Assistant should:  Encourage a positive separation  In preschool classrooms, introduce visiting children to their buddy  Provide comfort items and/or transition time and space  Assist children to engage in an activity with other children  Provide additional support at mealtimes and nap 33
  • 36. Training Tips At departure, the CYP Program Assistant should:  Be ready for parents’ arrival  Share information about the day  Encourage another visit CDC Reflection and Documentation Checklist After the hourly care visit, the T&C Specialist should talk to Program Assistants and Leads to ensure that the daily care form was completed. At the end of the visit, the Program Assistants or Leads should:  Reflect on each hourly visit  Record and file information about the hourly visit. 2.2 Coaching and Modeling Completion of the classroom checklist will identify strategies that are not being implemented at all or those that could be implemented more effectively. Coaching and modeling should be provided related to these specific areas of the hourly care program. Coaching can be provided in individual sessions or with a classroom team. A challenging strategy can be modeled to ensure understanding of how it is to be implemented and to provide additional support. The resources in appendix E can be used to reinforce the information detailed in the CDC Classroom strategies chapter and provide additional information related to hourly care issues such as separation anxiety, building relationships with families, and creating classroom communities. The resources also contain children’s books and CDs. 34
  • 37. Appendix A Appendix A: Frequently Asked Questions 35
  • 38. Appendix A Frequently Asked Questions Question: Does hourly care impact the wait list or the number of spaces needed for children who require full-time care? Answer: No; hourly care does not impact the wait list. Because hourly care children are incorporated into existing classrooms, filling the spaces of children who are enrolled in the program but not present on that day, the wait list is not affected. Hourly care does not require a dedicated hourly room or dedicated hourly spaces. Question: Since hourly care children are incorporated into the existing CYPs, should observations of those children be conducted at the CDC using Creative Curriculum®? Answer: No, observations are not required for hourly care children. Since the children may not participate in the program again, or may not participate on a regular basis, the observations are not useful. However, it would be useful to keep notes in the child’s file related to strategies that were effective in assisting the child during the transition. Question: What constitutes full-time/regular care versus hourly care? (1) What if a family requests care 1 hour a day, every day for an indefinite period of time? (2) How should requests for care Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week for an indefinite period be handled? Is either situation considered hourly care, even though it does not exceed the definition of full-time care (e.g., 25 hours a week for a CDC)? Answer: If the family schedules the hourly visit in advance and the program can accommodate the request due to absenteeism or vacancies based on the calculations from the Available Space Tool, these arrangements can be made. However, parents must understand that the space cannot be guaranteed indefinitely, and that reservations can only be made 30 days in advance. On a regular basis, CDC parents may not use more than 25 hours of hourly care per child per week. On a regular basis, SAC parents may not use more than 10 hours of hourly care per child per week during the school year, and no more than 25 hours of hourly care per child per week during the summer program. There are situations in which requests for care that exceed the maximum number of hours per week should be accommodated. See the Hourly Care Guidance chapter for additional information. Question: Can families make standing reservations for care (e.g., Tuesday and Thursday of every week indefinitely)? Answer: If space is available when a family reserves hourly space (e.g., the program can accommodate the request due to absenteeism or vacancies based on the calculations from the Available Space Tool), the request should be accommodated for the next 30 days. Parents must 36
  • 39. Appendix A understand that the space cannot be guaranteed indefinitely and spaces can only be reserved 30 days in advance. In other words, standing reservations can be made, but only 30 days in advance. Question: Why can standing reservations be made? It is important to give everyone access to the program. If a parent books a standing reservation, they are monopolizing the program for their own needs and limiting the number of people who can use the program. Answer: Families who make standing reservations are adhering to the hourly care policy. Hourly care is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If a family calls and makes a reservation for care every Tuesday and Thursday for the next 30 days, the intent of the policy is being met. Note: the standing reservation can not exceed the 30 day limit. Question: Can families use hourly care, even if they are in the highest fee category and it appears they are using the hourly care program to avoid paying the full enrollment fee? Answer: Yes. Hourly care is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. It is not the role of CYP Professionals to judge the “merit” of requests for care. Instead, if space is available when requested (e.g., the program can accommodate the request due to absenteeism or vacancies based on the calculations from the Available Space Tool), the reservation should be made. Priorities used to place children in full-time care are not used for placement in the hourly program. Question: Does the hourly program require reservations or are walk-ins accepted? Answer: Either is acceptable. Parents can make reservations up to 30 days in advance and they can also walk in and request care with no advance notice. However, all paperwork must be complete before an hourly child is accepted, except in emergencies. Parents must understand that care might not be available at the time it is requested. The hourly care program does not guarantee that space will be available at the CYP. Question: Why do families need to complete the registration paperwork if their child will only participate in the CDC or SAC program once? Answer: The registration paperwork provides important information that may help the safety of the child in an emergency. Because the paperwork contains important information such as medications being taken and allergies, it helps Navy CYPs better serve children. 37
  • 41. Appendix B Appendix B: Reservation Log 39
  • 42. Appendix B CDC Reservation Log S E C T ION 1: C DC AV AIL AB L E S P A C E T OOL R E S UL T S AND R E S E R V A T IONS Installation Name Naval Base Anywhere 1 Week of 18 May 2009 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Age 2 3 Spaces Reserved Spaces Reserved Spaces Reserved Spaces Reserved Spaces Reserved Infants 1 Pretoddlers 5 Toddlers 1 Preschoolers 2 2 S E C T ION 2: C DC HOUR L Y C AR E R E S E R V AT ION T R AC K ING F OR M Time Care Comments Reserved Parent/ Telephone Child’s Date Care Requested (e.g., special Hourly Room Space or Guardian 5 Child’s Name 6 7 4 Number Age Requested needs, allergies, Assignment Wait List Name Drop off Pick up medication) Reserved Jane Williams 817-555-1234 Russ Williams 3 years 18 May 0930 1700 Allergic to peanuts Reserved James Smith 817-555-7890 Jill Smith 4 years 18 May 0900 1700 NA Wait List Leslie Ronald 817-555-6679 Will Ronald 4 years 18 May 0800 1500 NA 1 Create four reservation logs – one for each week in a 30-day period 2 Transfer “Total Hourly Care Spaces” numbers from the Available Space Tool to each “Spaces” column 3 Once a reservation is made, enter the total number of reserved spaces for that day 4 If space is not available, complete Section 2 and enter “Wait List” under the Reserved/Wait List” column 5 Record the telephone number at which the parent can be most easily reached on the day of the hourly care visit 6 Enter the date parents would like to use care (rather than the date they called to reserve care) under the “Date Care Requested” column 7 Enter the hourly room assignment; often this can not be made until the morning of the visit 40
  • 43. Appendix B SAC Reservation Log S E C T ION 1: S AC AV AIL AB L E S P AC E T OOL R E S UL T S AND R E S E R V AT IONS Installation Name 1 Week of Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Program Variation 2 Spaces Reserved Spaces Reserved Spaces Reserved Spaces Reserved Spaces Reserved Before School After School Summer Camp S E C T ION 2: S AC HOUR L Y C AR E R E S E R V AT ION T R AC K ING F OR M Time Care Comments Reserved Parent/ Transportation Telephone Child’s Date Care Requested (e.g., special Space or Guardian 4 Child’s Name 5 Provided by 3 Number Age Requested Drop 6 needs, allergies, Wait List Name Pick up Program? off medication) 1 Create four reservation logs – one for each week in a 30-day period 2 Transfer “Total Hourly Care Spaces” numbers from the Available Space Tool to each “Spaces” column 3 Once a reservation is made, enter the total number of reserved spaces for that day 4 If space is not available, complete Section 2 and enter “Wait List” under the Reserved/Wait List” column 5 Record the telephone number at which the parent can be most easily reached on the day of the hourly care visit 6 Enter the date parents would like to use care (rather than the date they called to reserve care) under the “Date Care Requested” column 7 Enter “Yes” or “No” if the program will provide transportation for each child for which care is requested 41
  • 45. Appendix C Appendix C: Reservation Checklist 43