Fort Jackson

Parent Central Services
3392 Magruder Avenue
Joe E. Mann Center
Fort Jackson, SC 29207

Phone 803-751-4865/4824
Phone (DSN) 312-734-4869/4824
Fax 803-751-1442
Fax (DSN) 312-734-5874

Mon, Wed & Fri 7:30a.m. – 4:30p.m.
Tue & Thu 7:30a.m. – 6:00p.m.
Weekends & Holidays – Closed

Child Development Services (CDS)

Child and Youth Services provides the Fort Jackson community with quality child development options, which can reduce the conflict between parenting responsibilities and mission requirements, enhance the development of children and engage them in constructive activities during their discretionary time.

Registration 

Child and Youth Services Central Enrollment Office is located in room AO1 of the Joe E. Mann Community Center and provides one-stop service for families interested in registering their children for child and youth services. Vacancy information and waiting lists are maintained there, as is information for all available programs. Babysitter training is offered for teens through our instructional classes program.

Child Development Centers (CDC)

Both the Scales Avenue CDC and the Hood Street CDC are Department of Defense (DoD) certified and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited centers.

Centers on Installation/Programs Offered 

There are two child development centers on Ft. Jackson with sufficient space to meet the diverse needs of the community:

• The Scales Avenue Center is open Monday through Friday from 4:30 am until 8:00 pm. The center has an operating capacity for 359 children and provides primary full-day care. In addition, the center offers part-time options for parents employed on a less than full-time basis and a Part Day Preschool Program for non-working parents. On Sundays, the center provides hourly care in support of chapel services.
• The Hood Street Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and the first and third Fridays of the month from 6:00 pm to 11:00 p.m. The center has an operating capacity for 60 children and provides hourly care.

Curriculum for all center programs is child-oriented with an emphasis on creative, age-appropriate activities, which encourage children to acquire knowledge about themselves and their environment. The centers are committed to providing quality options for the children of the Fort Jackson Community. 

Child Development Home

The Child Development Home provides a child care option for soldiers and civilians who must work extended duty hours to meet their military mission.

Children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old qualifies for the program.  In order to qualify to use the program for full day or before/afger school care, the care needed should exceed that provided at the CDC or SAS Program (before 5:00 a.m. and/or after 6:30 p.m.  For two parent families, both parents must be on duty (supporting the installation mission) while their child/children are in care.

The Child Development Home provides a child-centered curriculum that offers and guides children to choices that enhance their development.  This is accomplished by introducing new experiences in a stimulating home like environment.

For those individuals who are using the home for extended care (full day or before/after school) to meet their mission requirements, fees are the same as those charged at the CDC or SAS Program.  There is no cost for the additional hours as long as they are mission related.  Parents desiring to use the care for other than mission requirements may make advance arrangements to do so buy are expected to pay extra for the care.

The Child Development is located in Fort Jackson family housing at 5955 A/B Parker Lane, 803-751-7169/7170.  Operating hours are:  Monday through Friday, 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Saturday and Federal Holidays, 5:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. as needed.

Family Child Care (FCC)

The Family Child Care Program is a system of home-based childcare. Family members living in government housing who provide childcare for more than 10 hours per week on a regular basis are required to be certified through this program. This requirement does not apply to care given in the child's home.

FCC applicants go through an extensive certification process before being allowed to care for children in their government quarters. Once certified, these individuals provide services that offer an alternative to an/or complement the care given in centers. Programs available include: Full-day, part-day, before and after school care and hourly care. Some providers on Ft. Jackson offer extended hours of care that meets the needs of soldiers in drill status and those working shifts.

School Age Services (SAS)

The School-Age Services Program bridges the gap between Child Development Services and Youth Services and provides programs for youth in Grades 1 - 5. It takes the worry out of what to do with your child before and after school, during winter and spring school vacations, and during the summer holidays with programs for regular users and open recreation. The program is DOD certified and NSACA accredited and provides transportation to and from on-post elementary schools, and designated schools off-post.