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The Miramar Child Development Center aboard the air station provides a cheap child care alternative for service members. Parents intersted in enrolling their children should visit the Child Development Center Building for more information.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Manuel F. Guerrero

Air station CDC offers low-cost child care alternative

30 Apr 2009 | Lance Cpl. Manuel F. Guerrero 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

Day care providers in town can often put a large dent in a families budget. Service members can take advantage of affordable child care services offered aboard the air station.

All active-duty service members and Department of Defense civilians with dependants have the option to enroll their children at the Miramar Child Development Center here.

After parents fill out the Navy Region Southwest Central Enrollment and Waiting List Application, they are given an approximate waiting period depending on priority.

Single and dual active-duty parents are priority one. Priority two is all other active-duty with a working spouse or full time student. Priority three is active duty with non working spouse or reservists on active duty. Priority four are DoD civilian personnel and contractors working in the region.

“Once a space is available we take the child if the parents are at priority one,” said Narissa J. Pangelinan, the receptionist for the developmental center. “The average wait time for a parent in priorities over one can take up to a year.”

The initial registration fee is $25 per child. Weekly fees are based on total family income starting at $56 a week for parents with $28,000 and below income and peaking at $121 for $70,001 and over.

 “We are subsidized, we are a federally funded program, that’s why our fees are lower compared to child care centers off base,” said Belinda Baclig, an education technician for the development center. “Service members make what they make and this service helps them.”

The flexible schedule helps the service members focus on their work knowing their children are receiving the right kind of care.

“The surveys we get back from parents are very positive, they said the hours that we operate works great on their family schedules,” said Pangelinan.

Not only is the center helpful for the service member’s schedule, it also helps with child development. The children perform art and science activities and are taught about hygiene and nutrition.

“From the very first day we see a huge difference, we encourage a lot of social skills here so the children learn how to interact with one another and better prepare them for kindergarten,” said Pangelinan.

The children must be between 6-weeks and 5-years-old, and the development center is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Parents wishing to enroll in the development center can contact Narissa Pangelinan at 858-577-4145 for more information.

 

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