Child Development Centers (CDCs) are on-post child care centers that offer full-day, part-day and hourly care for children in rich and stimulating environments where children (Ages six weeks - Kindergarten) can develop motor, cognitive, social and emotional skills through a balance of exploration and planned curriculum. Learning activities are designed to support the natural development of children and include individual, small group and large group experiences.

Children of Army National Guard Soldiers serving on Federal active duty are eligible for childcare at Child Development Centers located on military installations.

Costs are typically based on total family income. In general, the cost of military childcare is lower than equivalent civilian care because the military subsidizes the program. The subsidies go directly to the program and usually pay about half the cost of care. The soldier's fees pay the other half. Subsidies vary by military branch and by facility. If there is not space available in one of the child development programs, the soldier will be offered a place on a waiting list.

Types of Care Include:

• Full-Day: Services offered to children ages six weeks - five years old on a regularly scheduled, daily basis.

• Part-Day: Programs offered to preschool age children on a regularly scheduled basis.

• Hourly: Centers offer drop-off care on an hourly basis. Reservations may be made in advance. Children are also accepted on a walk-in basis, space permitting.

• Seasonal: Reservations may be made in advance for full-day programs during school vacations, inter-sessions, state holidays, teacher training days, and "school-out" days.

• Deployment Cycle: Additional hours of care for the children of deployed military parents.

• Respite: Respite care provides sixteen hours of free care per month per child for deployed Soldiers and civilians throughout the deployment cycle.

• Pre-Kindergarten: Provides school readiness skills for children entering school in the fall.

CYS Services is committed to supporting the childcare needs of Army families located on military installations or in areas where no military childcare is offered or is unavailable at installations due to high demand. CYS focus is to:

• Achieve and sustain QUALITY by pursuing nationally-recognized benchmarks and performance standards

• Increase and sustain AVAILABILITY through on- and off- post childcare options and supervised programs for youth

• Maintain AFFORDABILITY for both soldiers and the Army

The benefits of choosing an Army Child Development Center also include:

• Employees who pass stringent background checks and inspections

• Highly trained staff

• Regular visits and inspections

• Programs designed to help prepare your child for school

For information about the Child Development Center at your Garrison, click here to find local Garrison CYS services.

If you are not located at a Garrison, click here.

For more information Child Development Centers, please visit:
https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/cys/child-development-centers

In addition, location of Child Development Centers on Army installations may be located on the Resource Locator Library on MyArmyBenefits:
https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/Benefit-Library/Resource-Locator

Army Regulation 608-10 - Child Development Services:
https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN3218_AR608-10_Web_FINAL.pdf