Fort Huachuca

Child Care

Child Development Services (CDS)

Accreditation

All CDS programs are accredited and undergo separate accreditation timelines and standards. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) granted the Fort Huachuca New Beginnings Child Development Center accreditation in May 1991, making it one of the first in the Army to receive this honor. The center was most recently re-accredited in 2009.  

Child Development Services (CDS) at Fort Huachuca is comprised of four delivery systems - The Child Development Centers (New Beginnings and Expanding Horizons), Family Child Care (FCC), Outreach Services (OS) and School-Age Services. Family Child Care provides care for children ages 4 weeks (as long as first shots are completed) through 12 years. Special needs programs are available within the CDS. All special needs children must go through a screening process conducted by the Special Needs Accommodation Process (SNAP) Team prior to placement.

Eligibility

Soldiers, DoD Civilians and Contractors are eligible to receive child care on Fort Huachuca.

Registration 

Parents must register their children for all CDS Programs through the Parent Central Office. Registrations are valid for 1 year and are transferable to other Army Child, Youth, and School (CYS) Services Programs. Parents must attend a mandatory orientation prior to their children attending a CDS Program. Parents must provide up-to-date shot records and a current TB Tine test (within 2 years) for each child registering for CDS Programs. The registration fee has been waived thanks to the Army Family Covenant. Physicals must be completed within 30 days of registration. Waiting list information and data are also processed through the Parent Central Office, 520-533-0738, DSN 312-821-0738.

Fees

Fees for all CDS programs, except hourly care and unsubsidized Family Child Care homes, are determined by the Total Family Income (both the Soldier's and spouse's income).

Priority Care/Waiting List 

Spaces for both full-day and part-day care are limited. A waiting list is maintained and parents are notified, as appropriate, when space(s) becomes available for their children to receive care at the Center. Families transferring to Fort Huachuca may contact the Parent Central Office to have their names placed on the waiting list prior to their arrival. This option may cut the waiting time considerably.

Hourly Care

Hourly care is available at New Beginnings CDC and at the SAS. All families that utilize the hourly care service must complete registration procedures first. Hourly care rates vary at each facility.

Number of Facilities

Fort Huachuca offers:

• 2 Child Development Centers
• 4 Part-Day Preschool Options
• 1 School-Age Program
• Family Child Care program in government quarters; the number of certified Family Child Care providers generally averages 19 at any one time. 

Respite Care

Respite Care programs are available on the installation. Families of deployed Soldiers qualify for respite care. For more information, call Parent Central Office, 520-533-0738, DSN 312-821-0738.

Family members enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) may qualify for respite care under certain criteria. Contact the EFMP office at ACS for more information at 520-533-6871, DSN 312-821-6871.

Child Development Centers (CDCs)

New Beginnings CDC

The New Beginnings CDC provides care for children from 6 weeks through kindergarten. New Beginnings is a 23,000 square-foot facility serving 232 children at any one time. The Center is built around a central courtyard and has four playgrounds designed for various age groups.

The New Beginnings Child Development Center offers the following programs:

• Full Day Care -- Hours are compatible with normal duty hours on Fort Huachuca, 5:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
• Part-Day Preschool -- This program has 2-, 3- and 5-day options for children, ages 3 to 5 years. Participants are children do not need full-day care or who are ready for their first group situation with other young children. Class time options are 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Before-Kindergarten and After-Kindergarten Care -- This program includes bus transportation to and from school. Full-day summer and school-out days care are available.
• Hourly Care -- This Program provides services for Families needing irregular care on a limited basis. Parents should make reservations as far in advance as possible.
• Rent-A-Space -- Available for parents with children in a full-day or part-day program whose slot will be vacant for a week or more. Parents may rent their space and may advertise at the Center. All negotiations are made parent-to-parent.

Please contact the New Beginnings Child Development Center at 520-533-5209, 520-533-0738 or DSN 312-821-5209, 312-821-0738 should you have questions.

Expanding Horizons CDC

The Expanding Horizons CDC offers Part-Day Toddler, Part-Day Stepping Stones to Strong Beginnings Pre-Kindergarten, and Part-Day Army Strong Beginnings Pre-Kindergarten Programs for the children of Fort Huachuca Soldiers and civilians. Each Program is offered in three scheduling options:

• Monday/Wednesday/Friday
• Tuesday/Thursday
• Monday through Friday

The Part-Day Toddler Program is available in two daily sessions:  8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (morning session) and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (afternoon session). Ages served are 24 to 36 months. This Program allows children to play, while actively using imagination to increase knowledge. 

The Part-Day Stepping Stones to Strong Beginnings Pre-Kindergarten Program is available from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. (afternoon session) for children who are 4 years of age (those not eligible to start Kindergarten in the fall). This Program is designed to prepare children for the Army Strong Beginnings Pre-Kindergarten Program. 

The Part-Day Army Strong Beginnings Pre-Kindergarten Program is available from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.(morning session) for 4 to 5 year olds (must be eligible for Kindergarten and meet the Fort Huachuca school year cut-off date). This Program is designed to prepare children to be successful when they start school. The curriculum focuses on the social, emotional, and physical development of children. It also equips them with basic academic and “Kindergarten classroom etiquette” skills to enhance school readiness. 

For more information, please contact the Expanding Horizons CDC at 520-538-6319, DSN312-821-6319.

Family Child Care (FCC)

The Family Child Care (FCC) Program is a quarters-based child care system. The FCC Director and Trainer and installation Fire, Health and Safety proponents closely monitor and regulate this Program.

Family Child Care Homes are available to serve the unique needs of Military Families. Some homes offer extended care during deployments and TDY, for shift workers, for students with odd hour classes, and for special needs children. All special needs children will need to go through a screening process conducted by the Special Needs Accommodation Process (SNAP) Team.   

Child care in government quarters is not authorized unless the child care provider is certified by the FCC Office and children receiving care are registered with CYS Services. Family Child Care Providers receive extensive training in early childhood practices, CPR, and first aid. If you are interested in registering a child in the FCC Program or in becoming an FCC Provider, please contact the FCC office at 520-533-2494 or DSN 312-821-2494.

School-Age Services (SAS) Program

SAS is a supervised before-school and after-school program that provides developmental and recreational opportunities to children in the 1st through 5th grades. Program services include sports and fitness, life skills and citizenship, mentoring and support services, leisure and recreation. Hours are 5:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.,Monday through Friday (except federal holidays). Bus transportation is available for on-post schools.

Rates for this Program are based on Total Family Income. Full-day care is provided on all non-school days to include summer vacation, Christmas, spring break and teacher in-service days. To contact SAS, call 520-533-7633, 520-533-7634, 520-533-0733 or DSN 312-821-7633, 312-821-7634, 312-821-0733.

Outreach Services

Outreach Services provides management oversight for several supplemental child care options on Fort Huachuca.

• Kids-On-Site Child Care -- provides child care during unit functions or meetings when parents remain on the premises during the function. Contact Outreach Services Director at 520-533-0710, DSN 312-821-0710 for more information.
• Parent Central Office -- provides information about available CYS Services Programs (e.g., child care, Youth Sports, and instructional classes), as well as a list of trained teenage babysitters. Training for teen sitters is provided by the SKIESUnlimited Instructional Programs Specialist.