Family Readiness offers childcare

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. P.N. Brown
  • Public Affairs
DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. --  Child care can be a challenge in even the simplest of times, and when you factor in weekend needs, the challenge can become even greater. For dual-service families, single parents or simply servicemembers new to the area, finding quality day care for their unit training assembly weekends can be painstaking. 

To meet that challenge, the Air Force has begun a new program to be implemented through the local Family Readiness Centers for military families in need of child care in order to meet their commitments to their units. 

According to Angela Pederson, Director of the Family Readiness Center here, the program is in its infancy and still has changes to be made and some growing to do, but "It's a start to [satisfying] a need that many reservists are facing." 

The Air Force has begun to implement this program for bases world-wide, day care providers licensed by the state of Georgia and the Air Force. This globally-applied program is not for people who already have day care arrangements; it is meant to help those who do not. 

If a reservist finds his or herself with no child care arrangements for the UTA, Family Readiness can help. Contacting Mrs. Pederson is the first way of getting started. 

"There's paperwork to do and forms that must be signed by your supervisor," said Mrs. Pederson. Once the need is identified and the paperwork is done the child care will be available to the reservist. The program is designed to be short term or on a month-to-month basis. 

An example of a family in need would be a dual-service family containing one member who is deployed and the other being new to the local area, making them virtually a single who might not know where to find child care in the area. Having this base-supplemented child care resource could make all the difference. 

While space is limited and needs may vary, this program has given people in need a place to start. Simply pick up the phone and call (678) 655-5004 and help can be on the way.