FCC helps parents focus on mission

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  For most military members with families, dropping the kids off at the Child Development Center Monday through Friday and working a 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. shift is the weekly habit. The convenience of the CDC makes it easy for parents to drop their children off and know they are getting quality childcare.

For some military parents, the CDC lifestyle or hours of operation don’t fit into the Air Force way of life, on-duty 24 hours a day and seven days a week. That doesn’t mean military parents working extended duty hours; shift work, weekends or that daily 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. have to worry about quality childcare. They have the Incirlik Family Childcare program.

“FCC homes provide an alternative to the CDC,” said Jamey L. Zibbon, Incirlik FCC director. “They are smaller and more intimate environments. Also, the homes are set up for many ages like a family’s home.”

The Family Childcare program provides military families in-home childcare by certified providers. All FCC providers are required to go through rigorous background checks, licensing and are strongly encouraged to achieve accreditation as determined by the National Association of Family Childcare in conjunction with the Department of Defense or other processes approved by the Air Force.

“Any person providing care for ten or more hours a week must be licensed through the FCC,” said Mrs. Zibbon. “The program will provide the classes and materials.”

Parents wishing to take advantage of this opportunity must first call the FCC at 676-5098 to set up an appointment. Then parents get a chance hook up with a FCC provider that can meet their specific needs.

“Right now there are only two FCC providers on Incirlik,” said Mrs. Zibbon. “We would like to ensure availability to more parents, but we need new FCC providers to open their homes, take in children and help expand this wonderful service for the base.”

Family childcare offered in these homes is for children four weeks to 12 years of age, and is kept to a maximum of six multi-age children per home, or eight school-age children. If the provider chooses to care for only infants, (FCC counts birth to age two as infant children), they may have a maximum of two. The provider’s own children are counted in these numbers if they are less than eight years old, or in the case of an infant home, up to 12 years.

“The training at the CDC was beneficial for not only taking care of the children that come into my home for care, but for my family as well,” said Jaime Lacy, Incirlik FCC provider. “As a mother of two young children myself, I realize it is important your children are with someone that you trust and in an environment that you are comfortable with. That’s what I provide as a caregiver here.”

FCC homes offer high-quality care provided by a military family member here. FCC providers continue to receive extensive training and their homes are regularly monitored and inspected to ensure that they are maintained in a sanitary manner and are providing the healthy, wholesome environment that the Air Force requires for Incirlik children.

“I prefer in-home childcare over the CDC, because it is more personal for my children,” said Senior Airman Stefanie Moore, 39th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels resource control center controller. “With turnover here, the CDC goes through many changes and the children have to get use to different people. With FCC, I know who my child is going to be with on a daily basis and my children and I have a trusting relationship with our provider. I am very happy with the level of service FCC providers give here.”

FCC is always looking for military spouses who are interested in a career in childcare. Operating an FCC home can be a viable and portable career for the military family member. To help a provider get started, all training, equipment, toys, and supplies necessary to start a childcare home are available.

“Being an FCC provider is an experience that allows me to supply around the clock childcare to active-duty families,” said Mrs. Lacy. “Personally, I’m able to do a job that I love, which gives me joy. I am able to give the children the attention that they need and give parents the piece of mind they need to concentrate on the mission.”