No parent left behind: Yokota offers new child care services

Photo By Staff Sgt. Wren Fiontar | The 374th Force Support Squadron Kibo School Age Center waits for kids to arrive for afterschool programs at Yokota Air Base, Japan, May 4, 2023. The 374th FSS Child and Youth Programs flight has developed new programs such as the Part-Day Enrichment program, the Kinderspot program, and an increased number of Family Child Care providers. The new services were deployed throughout the month of April at the Yume Child Development Center, Kibo School Age Center, and at certified FCC residences. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Lackey)  

JAPAN

05.05.2023

Story by Staff Sgt. Wren Fiontar 

374th Airlift Wing

The 374th Force Support Squadron’s Child and Youth Programs flight has begun to offer new services for parents and children ages six weeks to five years old, in an ongoing effort to improve Yokota’s ability to give time back to working parents while providing education and social enrichment to military kids.

The new services include a Part-Day Enrichment program, the Kinderspot program, and an increased availability of Family Child Care providers. The programs were deployed throughout the month of April at the Yume Child Development Center, Kibo School Age Center, and at certified FCC residences.

“The goal is provide options for parents with children of all ages, so they can focus on their jobs or take time for self-care without worry,” said Rasheda Glover, 374th FSS CYP flight chief. “It’s more than simply watching the kids for you, as we want to offer this in the best way possible by giving Yokota kids safe learning environments, supervised by our child care and early education specialists.”

Kinderspot is a secure phone application that enables verified users enrolled at the CDC to offer short-term child care at the CDC to parents that may need it for children six weeks to five years old. The application helps identify and solicit available time slots, left open by families who will be absent, in an ongoing effort to maximize schedule availability.

Part-Day Enrichment is offered at the Kibo CDC for kids three to five years old on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and the program plans to offer the same time slots on Tuesdays and Thursdays as enrollment increases.

The FCC providers are certified drop-in child care providers that work with families to provide more flexibility outside of the CDCs, and while currently limited in number, more providers are completing training and will become available in the coming weeks.

“The kids and I love the Part-Day Enrichment program,” said Dennis Patton, 374th FSS KSAC supervisor. “It gives our part-day kids the ability to practice their social skills with kids their age in a range of fun learning activities we offer here.”

Enabling parents isn’t left out, as the CYS team offers parenting workshops at the Yume CDC each month on upcoming topics such as: The Power of Positive Parenting, From Couple-hood to Parenthood, and Maintaining Balance and Stress Resilience. These topics will be offered from June through August, 2023.

“Our mission is to help military families be the best they can be,” Glover said. “We encourage all families stationed at Yokota to make the most of what we offer so everyone can enjoy life here.”

For more information on programs, workshops and child care offerings, check out their website at: https://yokotafss.com/child-development-centers/ or visit the Yume or Kibo centers.

• Date Taken: 05.05.2023
• Date Posted: 05.05.2023 04:08
• Story ID: 444082
• Location: JP