Hours of Operation
Open 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Hours
Address
Helping Global Strike Children Thrive
Barksdale AFB Child Development Centers specialize in premium child care for children ages six weeks old to five years. The program is one of only two in Northwest Louisiana accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC].
YoExciting news for military families at Barksdale!
Now Introducing Kinderspot, a revolutionary way to help you save money on child care.
Learn More About Early Learning Matters Curriculum
The CDC utilizes current early childhood research and follows the Early Learning Matters (ELM) curriculum, which is proven to meet each child’s developmental needs and prepare them for kindergarten. Parents can take comfort in high staff to child ratios and in staff members who have been through extensive background checks.
Child Care You Can Trust
Exacting training and testing standards mean our CDC staff members are professionally responsible and held to a higher level of accountability than other programs. Frequent inspections, including Department of Defense (DoD) unannounced, monthly, and annual comprehensive health, safety and fire inspections, multidisciplinary inspections and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation, assure Barksdale’s CDC standards meet rigid AF criteria.
Two-Way Communication is Key to Parent Satisfaction
Parental satisfaction is evident from ICE responses, customer comments to local surveys, and discussions between parents and program management. Most of our direct care staff have been with the program for ten or more years while some off base centers, with lower pay scales, may have very high staff turnover. The Air Force believes it is important for children to be taught by the same person from day-to-day so that the provider gets to know the children and establishes an emotional bond with them.
Join Our Team
While a stable core of providers at our Barksdale CDC is a point of pride, we are always looking for new team members who are committed to providing the best child care for our military connected children.
Learn More About Air Force Child Development Centers
Department of the Air Force Child Development Centers are designed to provide a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment for children and are uniquely designed to accommodate each child’s developmental level. DAF Child Development Centers offer the following services. Not all services are available at every base.
Eligibility
Child care eligibility is contingent on the status of the sponsor. Eligible patrons as outlined in DoDI 6060.02, including active duty military, DoD civilian employees, guard or reserve on active duty orders, active duty coast guard members, combat-related wounded warriors in an active duty status, Gold Star spouses of military members who died from a combat-related incident, those acting in loco parentis for the dependent child of an otherwise eligible patron, eligible employees of DoD contractors, and others who may be authorized on a space-available basis.
In the case of unmarried, legally separated parents with joint custody or divorced parents with joint custody, children or youth are eligible for child care only when they reside with the eligible sponsor at least 25 percent of the time in a month.
If granted child care during active duty status, children of combat-related wounded warriors may remain in child care until their dependent child reaches age twelve. Children of combat-related wounded warriors who are medically retired as a result of combat-related injuries may remain in the existing program until the child(ren) is (are) no longer age-eligible.
Request Care
Military families will complete a Request for Care on the Military Childcare Website, a Department of Defense website for military families seeking child care. This site will allow families to search for and request care from a wide range of military-operated and military-subsidized child care options across all Services to include Child Development Centers, School Age Care Programs, and Family Child Care Homes. Families can expect standardized procedures for effective waiting list management, expedited placement of children and youth into available programs, and enhanced daily operations for programs.
Visit Militarychildcare.com
Fees
Fees are based on the DoD and Department of the Air Force annual fee policy and on total family income. Parent fees may not be adjusted more than once a year.
Child Care Priorities
Installations must follow priorities in accordance with DoDI 6060.02.
Accreditation
Accreditation helps families recognize quality early learning programs and feel comfortable knowing that their children are receiving a high-quality, research-based education that will prepare them for future success.
All CDCs must be accredited by a national accrediting agency in accordance with 10 USC Ch 88 (Public Law) and DoDI 6060.02. With the exception of RAF Croughton and Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base, DAF CDCs are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC Accreditation assists CDC Staff to develop a shared understanding and commitment to quality.
Research shows a direct correlation between high-quality early learning and children’s positive long-term outcomes in life, including increased educational attainment, healthier lifestyles, and more successful careers. RAF Croughton and Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base are accredited by National Accreditation Commission (NAC).
What Does NAEYC Accreditation mean for your child?
See the ten core standards that make Air Force Child Development Programs the best choice in center-based care for your child.
Visit NAEYC.org for for program standards.
Certification
The military equivalent of state licensing, DoD Certification represents verified compliance with standards regarding fire, health, safety, developmental programming, child abuse prevention, funding, and staff training. Our Child and Youth Programs are certified by DoD each year. As a result of the strict oversight and adherence to standards, along with the trained staff and quality curriculum, our programs have been recognized as a model for the nation.
