MOBILIZATION AND CONTINGENCY HANDBOOK … document for Child Development Program (CDP)...

MOBILIZATION

AND CONTINGENCY HANDBOOK

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

AND YOUTH PROGRAMS

Commander, Navy Installations Child and Youth Programs (N23)

5720 Integrity Drive Millington, TN 38055-6590

September 2005

MOBILIZATION AND

CONTINGENCY HANDBOOK

A guide for developing, implementing, and monitoring an installation plan for child

care and youth support during mobilization, deployment, natural disasters and other contingency situations.

With special thanks to U.S. Army Child Development and Youth Services

for developing and sharing this guidebook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD CHAPTER I Introduction ................................................................................................1 CHAPTER II Developing the Mobilization and Contingency (MAC) Plan .................................................................................................3 CHAPTER III Monitoring the MAC Plan ......................................................................37 CHAPTER IV Implementing the MAC Plan ..................................................................43 CHAPTER V Lessons Learned .......................................................................................50 CHAPTER VI Additional Issues for Consideration .......................................................54 CHAPTER VII Marketing the Services in the MAC Plan ..............................................59 CHAPTER VIII Reevaluating the MAC Plan ...................................................................61 Bibliography Regulatory and Policy Guidance Appendices

FOREWORD The all-volunteer Force not only changed the nature of the military, it changed the Navy's relationship with- and support of- families. To attract and retain a quality force, Navy leadership knows that Navy families play a pivotal role in supporting the mission. They also realize the impact on readiness when support services such as child care, are not available. Navy Child Development Programs (CDP) and youth staff must be proactive in determining in advance how they can support Sailors and families during times of mobilization/mass deployment and other emergency situations. Commanders and Sailors are counting on you to be ready to support their child care needs when duty calls. Note: While this guidance is directed at Child Development Programs, it can easily be adapted and used to develop Standard Operating Procedures and policies for Youth and Teen Programs.

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This handbook is designed to be a user-friendly document for Child Development Program (CDP) Administrators to use in dealing with mobilization efforts and other emergencies.

Mobilization involves much more than the assembly of units. The CDPs role in this overall effort is to provide needed child care services during a particular set of circumstances. In order to effectively do this, you need to know what mobilization means to you - as someone working for the Navy - at an installation - in Child Development Programs. To start with, one of your responsibilities is "developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as required in OPNAVINST 1700.9D, then monitoring and implementing CDP plans in support of mobilization". You have been presented with an extremely important task portrayed in that one brief sentence.

It is also important for you to do the same in the event of an unforeseen emergency. Having a contingency plan to relocate children, due to unpredictable circumstances (e.g. flood, fire, etc) will enable you to respond quickly and in an organized fashion.

As you work through this handbook, you will be provided with some examples of events that might prompt mobilization efforts or require contingency responses. Much of the information is based on the perspectives and lessons learned by CDP staff in all Services who have already experienced these types of situations. We’ll break this subject down to address:

Developing your plan

Monitoring your plan

Implementing your plan To provide you an easy reference, the main points for developing, monitoring and implementing are captured at the beginning of each section. In addition, checklists are provided at the end of each section to assess your plan. Real-life experiences and

To begin, let's start off with a basic definition of mobilization: "Mobilization is the act of assembling and organizing national resources to support national objectives in time of war or other emergencies. The process by which the Armed Forces or part of them are brought to a state of readiness for war or other national emergency." -JOINT PUB 1-02

Contingency is defined as: ⊄ an event (as an emergency) that is of possible but uncertain occurrence ⊄ something liable to happen as an

adjunct to other circumstances

Introduction

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responses have also been included that illustrate plans that worked well and what could have been done differently. YOUR ROLE IN SUPPORTING FAMILIES While frequent moves and short-term separations are a way of life for most military families, many are not prepared to deal with deployments to hostile areas or separations that may occur as a result of natural disasters. Over the past several years, the Navy has deployed units to Grenada, Panama, Bosnia, Croatia and Persian Gulf during periods of hostilities. Additionally, units have assisted in humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts throughout the world. Your ability to develop, monitor and implement the CDP portion of the Installation Mobilization Plan will have a direct impact on Sailors' ability to mobilize and deploy. Sailors who do not have viable support services in place for their family will not be able to perform their jobs in a satisfactory manner. This can jeopardize the unit mission and the safety and well being of fellow Sailors. Developing a CDP Mobilization and Contingency (MAC) Plan for your installation means that you will be ready to meet the challenge...when and if the need occurs. Families who are supported have positive feelings about the military and the services they receive. Ensuring that family members are well cared for takes planning, preparation, understanding, commitment and dedication. The CDP program can ultimately make a significant difference in the quality of life for children whose parents are called upon to defend our great nation, or assist in

humanitarian efforts within our borders or around the world. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• WHEN DUTY CALLS.... CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND YOUTH PROGRAMS ARE THERE

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CHAPTER II Developing the Mobilization and Contingency (MAC) Plan

Assess Current Status

Initiate Mobilization and Contingency (MAC) Plan Process

Link the Development of CDP MAC

Plan to the Installation Readiness Plan

Ensure Workable Family Care Plans Exist

Establish Your MAC Team

Clarify MAC Team Member Roles

and Responsibilities

Anticipate Needed Services and Identify Viable Care Options

Identify Temporary Alternative Sites

Locate Equipment and Supplies

Plan for Staffing

Expedite Background Checks

Determine Training Needs

Policy Modifications

Finalize, Coordinate and Approve

MAC Plan

Developing the Mobilization and Contingency (MAC) Plan

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ASSESS CURRENT STATUS OF MOBILIZATION AND CONTINGENCY PLAN Each installation has an office responsible for developing a Mobilization and Contingency Plan. The name will differ depending on the installation. Regardless, when you find the office that deals with operations, ask for a point of contact (POC) for mobilization. Mobilization plans are very detailed and each organizational element on the installation develops their own portion of the plan, which is incorporated into the Installation Mobilization Plan. This plan may be enacted in its entirety or partially, depending on the situation. Check with your mobilization POC to determine if a mobilization plan already exists for CDP. If a plan is already in place, revise it to incorporate information contained in this handbook. If CDP does not have a mobilization plan, coordinate with the mobilization POC to determine to what extent mobilization or deployment will affect your installation. Ask questions such as: Does the installation have a large active duty population or is it a training site? Will the installation support the call up of the National Guard or Reserves? Does the installation have a large number of junior enlisted Sailors? Will the installation function as a hospital evacuation site? casualty assistance center? processing point for activated units? or a return point for deployed units?

Knowing the installation demographics and understanding the installation mission during mobilization will help you plan for the types of child care services needed. Look beyond current operations and develop ways to expand child care options which can be implemented as the need arises. With the new focus of today's Navy, the frequency of deployments may increase. Also, check with your CDP Administrator to determine if a plan has been established to address how CDP would continue operations in the event of an emergency, which might close a CDC or CDH home. If a plan has been prepared, review for answers to such questions as: Where would children be relocated? Have alternate sites been coordinated with installation proponents? How will you relocate children if emergency occurred during normal operating hours? How will parents be notified? What are individual CDP staff member responsibilities?


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INITIATE MOBILIZATION AND CONTINGENCY (MAC) PLAN PROCESS Developing a viable CDP MAC plan is contingent upon the following tasks:

Establishing a planning team

Reviewing the installation mission

Analyzing assets and

projecting needs

Identifying key issues

Defining objectives

Generating strategies

Developing the plan Establishing a Planning Team A coordinated effort is necessary for the plan to be successful. Team members must be identified and informed of their roles and responsibilities. Reviewing the Installation Mission Become knowledgeable about the mission function of your installation e.g., research labs, supply depot, training, naval/air/weapons station, etc. The child care role in mobilization will be quite different at an installation that deploys ships than at one that has acquisition responsibilities. Remember the Navy's mission for child care - child care will support readiness by

reducing lost duty time due to conflict between parental responsibilities and unit mission requirements. This will be a key factor in developing your MAC plan. Analyzing Assets and Projecting Needs The installation mission during mobilization and the nature of potential contingencies will be the basis for determining the type of services needed to support the command and families. Review what child care services are already in place, to include documenting existing child care spaces by age group, program type, etc. Determining how CDP should target child care resources is linked to the installation mission for mobilization. Determining where children will relocate (should an emergency occur within the CDC or CDH) and identifying alternative facility sites in advance is linked to your mission to provide care. Identifying Key Issues How the installation mission impacts on families will determine key issues to be examined: (1) Do operational hours need to be

expanded? (2) Will additional CDH providers and

CDP staff, supplies and equipment be needed?

(3) Are alternative facilities available? (4) What additional funding will be

necessary? (5) Will alternative equivalencies to


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standards need to be implemented?

(6) Will CDP family members who are staff and providers still be available?

Defining Objectives Once key issues are identified, MAC team members should project what the desired outcome should be and how they can realistically make it happen. Generating Strategies Brainstorming a variety of options to address identified issues is one way for team members to explore alternative solutions to meet the mission. Listen to all ideas without considering impediments and then adapt the most viable strategy to get the job done. Developing the Plan When you are ready to "put pen to paper" follow these suggestions: (1) Review all steps taken. (2) Compile actions necessary to meet the

objective including assigning individual tasks and responsibilities.

(3) Coordinate with the appropriate staff

agencies. (4) Obtain command approval. LINK THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CDP MOBILIZATION AND CONTINGENCY (MAC) PLAN TO THE CHILD CARE MOST EFFICIENT ORGANIZATIONS MEOs

Installation or regional CDP MEOs address the short and long term child care requirements of each Navy child development program. This plan is a living document, which changes as the demand for care and situation change on the installation. The MEO identifies available facility, financial and personnel resources necessary to support the child care demand. However, unique requirements during mobilization, extended deployment, or local contingency situations were not included in approved MEOs. MEOs approved as part of an A76 Study or Functionality Assessment can be temporarily modified to provide mission support. However, all deviations must be documented and approved by the responsible commander. ENSURE WORKABLE FAMILY CARE PLANS EXIST A very important part of planning for mobilization and deployment is to ensure single parent Sailors, dual-military parents, and single and dual military pregnant Sailors make provisions for the care of their children. The Navy requires that these arrangements be documented in a Family Care Plan, or appropriate documentation approved by the commanding officer. Sailors have primary responsibility to develop a viable Family Care Plan that allows them to be: (1) Available for duty when and where

the needs of the service dictate. (2) Able to perform assigned military

duties without interference of family


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responsibilities. A Family Care Plan protects family members by ensuring that essential issues are met to include: • child care and guardianship • financial matters • medical and dental care • emergency care It also contains written information to include: • required forms (these may vary

depending on branch of service and family situations)

• instructions for care of dependent children

• legal authorizations • names, addresses and telephone

numbers of all people involved in the Sailors Family Care Plan

Commanders who are the approving authority for Family Care Plans must be satisfied that requirements are met and appear to be workable (See FIGURES 1 and 2). They are also responsible for maintaining the Family Care Plan in the Sailors personnel file. A copy of the Family Care Plan, is required to be on file with CDC or CDH provider within 30 days of initial registration. This informa-tion is required in the event of emergency or extended deployment. As the CDPA you are responsible for:

ensuring that information from cur-rent Family Care Plan is kept on file for all children of single and dual active duty parents.

maintaining a master list of children

required to have Family Care Plans

updating master list semi-annually Commanders have the responsibility of verifying the accuracy and the viability of their Sailors' Family Care Plans. CDPAs who maintain a close working relationship with commanders almost certainly will ensure a smoother child care transition during mobilization and extended deployment. For example, the Army reports that “during Desert Storm several instances occurred where children remained in FCC homes several weeks after soldiers were deployed while waiting for guardians to assume responsibility for the children.”


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Figure 1

Figure 2

WORKABLE FAMILY CARE PLANS Each Sailor required to have a Family Care Plan must designate: ! a short-term or temporary guardian capable of caring for dependent children (under the

age of 18) up to 30 days until a long-term guardian can assume responsibility ! a long-term guardian capable of caring for dependent children so that child care re-

quirements are met while the Sailor is away Short-term and long-term guardians must: ! understand what it is they are being asked to do ! have necessary authorized documents ! be aware of financial arrangements ! accept guardianship responsibility in writing **** In OCONUS locations, Sailors must make arrangements for someone to escort their

child(ren) back to CONUS.

NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO ACCOMPANY FAMILY CARE PLANS ! Power of attorney for child(ren); guardian(s) ! Notarized certificates of acceptance from the guardians ! Applications for the child(rens) military ID card ! Allotment forms or proof of financial provisions for the child(ren) ! Enrollment in DEERS or copies of child(rens) birth certificates to provide

eligibility for military medical care Note: These forms are not required to be kept at CDP


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ESTABLISH YOUR MOBILIZATION AND CONTINGENCY (MAC) TEAM Approaching the development of the CDP Mobilization and Contingency Plan as a team effort will greatly facilitate the process and produce desirable results. A good definition of a team, as described in the book The Wisdom of Teams by Katzenbach and Smith is as follows: "A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose or goal for which they hold themselves accountable...Team performance requires both individual accountability and mutual accountability...The members hold themselves accountable for their individual contributions to the team, their collective contributions to the team, and the team's overall results" The esprit de corps that develops as a result of good teamwork will make the CDP program a great place for staff to grow. Teams generally provide better results than individuals, especially when a task requires a variety of skills, perspectives, knowledge, and abilities. There is no doubt that teamwork is essential to making the CDP program run smoothly and efficiently. The concept of teams is not new to CDP. There are already a number of initiatives in place within CDP that utilize a team approach. These include the preparation of the accreditation process through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the Command Multi-Disciplinary Team Inspection to name a few. The advantage of a CDP team approach is that true teamwork will facilitate a thorough understanding of the task at hand.

All CDP program managers are expected to take an active role in the development of the CDP MAC Plan, however, the CDPA generally organizes the CDP MAC planning team and serves as the team leader. At very small or very large installations, the CDH or CDC Director may assume this role. Team members should include the CDP Administrator, CDC Director(s), CDH Director, and the Training and Curriculum (T&C) Specialist. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• A GROUP BECOMES A TEAM WHEN MEMBERS SHARE A SENSE OF UNITY AND PURPOSE AND WHEN EACH MEMBER CONTRIBUTES TO THE GROUP'S ACHIEVEMENTS


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VIGNETTE

As units were being deployed to Operation Desert Storm, the commander of an Army installation hospital requested CDS to establish a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week on-site center to serve the staff who would be spending long hours on duty. (The hospital was expected to be a key location in the event of mass casualties). The CDS Coordinator felt overwhelmed! Where would she find staff? There was no suitable space within the hospital. It was 28 December 1990, and the new center had to be open on 15 January 1991. The CDS Coordinator assembled the CDS program managers (all of whom had spouses deployed to Operation Desert Storm). She rallied other installation proponents. With this teamwork, 40 NAF staff members had completed background clearance checks and were hired and trained, facility deficiencies were corrected, $15,000 of supplies and equipment were ordered and received, and a director was assigned...all by 15 January!!! Thankfully, there were no mass casualties, and the hospital center closed in April 1991. But the point is they responded effectively when they were asked to link the CDS mission to the installation mission and should the need arise again, they are ready!


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CLARIFYING TEAM MEMBER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Using teams is an excellent method for meeting specific objectives and strengthening individual capabilities. Teams spread empowerment throughout the group and an empowered team is more productive than a group of individuals. One way to empower a team is to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities since teams provide better results when a variety of skills, perspectives, knowledge and abilities are shared. Team Chief As team chief, you are responsible for developing, monitoring and, if necessary, implementing the CDP MAC Plan. You cannot do this without the invested interest of the other team members. Each team member, to include yourself, has specific roles and responsibilities which contribute to the overall development of the plan. As team leader, you must provide the team with clearly defined goals and objectives, maintain team focus, resolve conflict, monitor progress, provide encouragement, and consolidate information and results. In-forming team members of their individual roles and responsibilities should be done at your first meeting. This will enable staff to become focused. Your first team task will be to assess CDP capabilities and the need to realign or expand child care options. Coordination with the CDC and CDH Directors to identify the current CDP status and determine the po-tential for care is a must! Once the MAC plan is developed, it is your responsibility to

coordinate with the installation POC for mobilization to ensure that it is in consonance with the commander's philosophy and goals. Once the plan is approved, forward it to the Office responsible for maintaining the Installation Mobilization Plan. Don't forget to keep a copy! CDC Director(s) The CDC Director(s) needs to review existing child care services within the center-based program, explore options for realigning care and/or anticipate ways to increase care. The CDC Director(s) also should identify additional or alternative temporary facilities to be used. This is the time to coordinate and gain approval from installation health, safety and fire proponents. Past experience has shown that issues such as extending operating hours, increased hourly care, staffing, training, etc. must be explored and resolved well in advance. The CDC Director(s) retains responsibility for center program operations and therefore needs to coordinate any anticipated exceptions to policies, which may be needed. CDH Director The CDH Director is responsible for review-ing the existing capability of the CDH delivery system and making arrangements for extended hours and long-term care. Additional CDH providers may need to be recruited to provide these care options and/or expand the CDH program. Also, a streamlined process for CDH certification training should be explored and pre- approved.


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The CDH Director should anticipate the need for exceptions to policies for provider qualifications or home requirements and get pre-approval by the base commander. The CDH Director should review the plan for use and the amount of funds budgeted for CDH subsidies. There are several ways to use subsidies in support of MAC situations e.g., recruitment of additional hourly, respite, extended hours and long term care homes, payment or partial payment of patron fees where additional costs occur due to the need for 24 hour care, etc. Training and Curriculum (T&C) Specialist Emphasis on appropriate interactions with children and health and safety practices must remain a priority even during times of emergency. In fact these are the times that training is the most critical since stress levels are high and routines are interrupted. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the T&C in coordination with the program director to pre-determine the minimal amount of training that will protect staff and children from injury, illness, and abuse and have procedures in place which will enable them to quickly train additional staff, providers and volunteers prior to having them work with children. Recommend cross-training and recruitment efforts be coordinated with youth staff and establishing comparable entry level pay between child care and youth staff (e.g. minimum GS-2/NAF equivalent). CDP Administrator In addition to your responsibilities as team

chief, you are responsible for care options such as care in short term alternative sites, volunteer child care in command settings, parent co-ops, etc. These programs which may be alternative options under "normal" circumstances take on new importance during MAC situations. They can be implemented to quickly meet surge care demands (care for a large number of children at the same time) for family support groups and unit briefings. Another of your major tasks will be to get the word out to the community--Parents, schools, unit commanders, installation organizations and groups and the Installation Volunteer Coordinator. Use the media: work with public affairs, including newspapers, flyers, radio and television. The CDP Administrator is also responsible for working with the chain of command to gain their approval for the CDP MAC Plan. The CDP Administrator also serves in a public relations role as a member of the installation Family Assistance Team, to articulate CDPs role in mobilization and contingency support. The CDP Administrator must be ready to also assume responsibility to resolve systematic "roadblocks" that affect the entire CDP system. ADVANTAGES OF A TEAM APPROACH The advantage of a team approach to devel-oping the CDP MAC Plan is that team members can contribute their ideas, work through issues and share their concerns. In doing so, each CDP system "buys into" their mission and each staff member feels a


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personnel responsibility that facilitates the development of the plan. Later on, if it is necessary to implement a component or even all of the MAC plan, all CDP staff will be able to effectively work in tandem to accomplish what may now seem like an enormous task - making all the child care pieces fit together! Understanding each other’s roles and re-sponsibilities will provide everyone with a sense of unity, as team members develop a sense of trust in, reliance on and interde-pendence among one another. A summary of CDP MAC Planning Team responsibilities can be found at FIGURE 3.


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MAC TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES

TEAM CHIEF/CDPA * Coordinates development and implementation of CDP MAC Plan, including youth programs

* Informs team members of their roles and responsibilities * Coordinates total requirements for care among CDP

delivery systems * Assesses the need to expand child care options * Coordinates actions in support of the plan * Monitors implementation of MAC Plan and keeps CDP

Administrator/chain of command involved in MAC process

CDC DIRECTOR * Reevaluates facility usage and anticipates needs * Identifies additional temporary CDP sites * Gains approval from technical proponents on alternative

CDP sites * Identifies management issues to address, such as, operating

hours, staffing, training, etc. * Identifies and coordinates any anticipated CDC exceptions

policies * Coordinates training efforts with T&C and youth managers

CDH DIRECTOR * Plans for anticipated child care needs and options to include:

• Extended hours • Long-term care • Respite care * Develops contingencies for recruiting additional providers * Identifies and coordinates any CDH anticipated exceptions

to policies * Coordinates training efforts with T&C

Figure 3


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MAC TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES

T&C SPECIALIST * Develops streamlined training programs to quickly train additional staff, providers and volunteers

* Coordinates training efforts with CDC and CDH Directors * Identifies and coordinates any anticipated exceptions to

training policies

CDPA * Serves as the team chief for CDP MAC Plan * Responsible for expanding care options through

• Short term alternative care sites • volunteers in child care • Parent Co-ops • Off-base child care spaces • Babysitters

* Gains approval from technical proponents on alternative sites

* Identifies and coordinates exceptions to policies * Coordinates training efforts with T&C * Provides parent education * Markets/publicizes care options

CDPA

* Shepherds MAC Plan through the command approval process

* Represents CDP on the Family Assistance Plan * Articulates CDP role in mobilization/contingency support * Resolves systematic CDP "roadblocks" * May serve as MAC team chief on small or very large

installations Figure 3 (cont'd)


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ANTICIPATE NEEDED SERVICES AND VIABLE CARE OPTIONS Anticipating the need and how you will handle it is crucial to the development of the MAC plan. Existing CDP programs probably will not be able to provide all the care required. Some installations may experience an influx of children from the activation of Reserve or National Guard units during mobilization. Also, changes in mission requirements (e.g. around the clock operations) or the establishment of medical facilities as mass casualty centers may require augmenting child care options already in existence at the installation level. FIGURE 4 refers to appendices for further elaboration of the different care options. FIGURE 5 provides a matrix. In addition to on-base options, off-base options may also be necessary. Always keep updating information about off-base options, e.g. hours of operation, fees, services offered, local resource and referral office or licensing agency phone numbers. During Desert Storm, many off-base civic organizations and clubs provided scholarships or subsidies to local child care centers for use by children of deployed Sailors. Off-base child care operations were also willing to offer special promotional rates and extend their operating hours to support unit briefings and spouse support groups. Although many of the care options provided during peacetime or under ordinary circum-stances will remain unchanged, some services may need to be significantly expanded, e.g. hourly care, and others temporarily discontinued, e.g. part-day preschool, during mobilization/contingency efforts.

Expect fluctuations in your customer base. Parents who don't normally utilize CDP programs may require services during mobilizations while some regular patrons may not. For example, spouses who previ-ously were not working may find it necessary to work while the Sailor is deployed. Other families lose their source of child care when the military spouse deploys, e.g. late afternoon, evening and weekend care. Finding child care services will be a priority for these spouses. On the other hand, some spouses may leave the area while Sailors are deployed and may not require services for an extended period of time. Whichever the circumstances on your installation remaining flexible will help you get through these times.


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NEEDED SERVICE CARE OPTIONS

Full-Day Care

CDC Programs (Appendix A) CDH Homes (Appendix B) Off-Base CDH (Appendix E) Off-Base Referrals (Appendix F) Contracted care in Off-Base Centers (Appendix J) Babysitter Referral (Appendix H)

Group Hourly Care for Units

Short term care in alternative sites (Appendix C) Volunteer Care in Command Spaces (Appendix D) CDC Programs CDH Programs Parent Co-ops (Appendix G)

Family Support Group Functions CDC Hourly Care CDH Hourly Care Short term care in alternative sites Volunteer Care in Command Spaces Parent Co-ops

Hourly Care Parent Co-ops Special Interest Programs (Appendix I) Babysitter Referral CDC Programs CDH Homes Short term care in alternative sites Volunteer Care in Command Spaces

24-Hour Care CDH Homes CDC Programs Special Interest Programs

Extended Hours Care CDH Homes

Figure 4


CARE OPTIONS

Service Needed

CDC Prg.

CDH Homes

Off-Base Homes

Off-Base Ref

Off Base CDC

Baby sitter Ref

Short Term Site

Volunteer Com Site

Parent Co-op

Special Prg

Full Day Care

X X X X X X

Group Hourly Care

X X X X X X

Family Support Group Functions

X X X X X

Hourly Care X X X X X X X

Respite Care

X X X X X X

24-Hour Care

X X X X

Extended Hours Care

X X

Figure 5 18


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IDENTIFY TEMPORARY ALTERNATIVE SITES In searching for temporary CDP facilities the CDC director must coordinate closely with installation fire, safety and health proponents. The potential use of a facility will be determined by the type of service being provided (e.g. evening hours when children will be sleeping, on-site care where parents are immediately accessible) and the ages of children being served. Initial efforts should focus on buildings that might accommodate preschool and school-age children. Schools, community centers, chapels, and gymnasiums may offer the best potential. Consider keeping infants and toddlers in the CDC since more flexible standards can be used for older children who are capable of self-evacuation from an alternative facility. Remember the need for this facility is due to emergency circumstances and will most likely be short-term. Therefore, building alterations should be minimal. If any minor alterations are necessary to make the site suitable, the CDC Director should submit a work order request via the chain of command and have work orders pre-approved in the event it is necessary to alter the site during an emergency situation. It is not recommended that work be done during the planning phase. In the event that it becomes necessary to implement your MAC Plan, inform the chain of command to initiate the necessary work in an expeditious manner.

LOCATE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES Additional equipment and supplies will be needed for the increased number of short-term sites, as well as for other temporary sites. Start by designating which supplies and equipment can be borrowed from the CDH Lending Library, the CDC and youth center. Prepare listings of equipment/supplies specific to each potential site and specify a staff member as the point of contact (POC) to keep information up-to-date. Knowing what you already have that can be reallocated or borrowed and determining what additional items are needed is a must! Have purchase requests typed and ready to go - identify what additional funding you will need to expand your operations. People are always eager to help when units are deployed - having your lists ready will come in handy! During Desert Storm, local merchants donated goods to programs in support of families left behind. Identifying donated dollars from organizations such as Combined Federal Campaign or United Way may be another way to purchase needed supplies and equipment. Office supplies will also be needed for adminis-trative and management staff. Set aside boxes or bags with items that staff will need (e.g. pens, paper, receipt books, paper clips, etc). A listing of suggested supplies and equipment can be found at FIGURE 6. These lists are by no means inclusive, but serve to provide an idea of the types of items you may require.


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SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT

• Books • Puzzles • Manipulatives • Crayons, markers • Assorted paper • Scissors (adult & child) • Glue, tape • Clay, play dough • Large plastic tablecloths for messy activities • Assorted dress up clothes • Dramatic play props/water play props • Games, blocks, balls • Tape recorder, tapes, radio • Mats, blankets • Portable cribs • Paper cups, tissues, paper towels, toilet paper, wipes • Dish pans/containers for sand and water play

• Pens, pencils, markers • Paper • Receipt book • Lock box for collecting money • Paper clips, stapler • Stapler, tape • Registration cards • Folding table and chairs • Portable or cellular phones

Figure 6


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PLAN FOR STAFFING CDP Staff and CDH Providers Under the best of conditions, keeping a CDC staffed is difficult. During mobilization, CDP management staff will need to remain flexible to ensure programs remain staffed and operational. Stepping up recruitment efforts and soliciting volunteers will probably be necessary to get you over the staffing hump. All program managers share in this respon-sibility to ensure there is sufficient staff and providers to support operations during MAC situations. At many installations, the CDP workforce includes a large number of spouses of active duty military. Some present staff will choose to leave the installation to return home to their families. Others, who are personally affected, may feel that they cannot take on working additional hours. However, there are usually some employees who thrive during times of crisis and are willing to work the extra hours needed. Anticipate what staffing situations are likely to be, by surveying CDP staff and CDH providers ahead of time. Ask them to indicate what their plans would be in the event of mobilization, e.g. will they go home? remain on the installation? increase or decrease the number of hours they can work? In the past, the greatest impact of mobiliza-tion and deployment on CDP has been a significant decline in the number of CDH providers and applicants. Develop contingency CDH provider recruitment plans to address a sudden and significant decline in

the number of providers. Be prepared to facilitate and streamline the certification, background clearance and home inspection processes. Most employee losses in the CDC have been among caregiving rather than administrative staff. Begin working now with Personnel Offices to develop a streamlined recruitment plan that would be activated to replace departing staff. This plan should include provisions for open continuous announcements and recruitment at local colleges, state employment offices and high schools, and possibly increase entry salaries for child care and youth staff. Active Duty Service Members If attempts to bring new employees on board in a timely manner are unsuccessful, ask your commander to consider detailing active duty Sailors who were not able to deploy with their units. Local Security can do a quick background screening to ensure that these Sailors pose no risk to the safety and well being of children. Provide Sailors with a CDP Orientation that includes training on child abuse and neglect identification and reporting, safety and emergency procedures and child guidance techniques. Whenever possible they need to be under "line of sight" supervision from a CDP employee whose background checks are complete, and assigned to work with staff who are familiar with the children in the room and behaviors typical for the age group. Volunteers Volunteers provide another source of emer-


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gency staffing. Work with your Installation Volunteer Coordinator or Ombudsman to establish a job description and list activities that volunteers can help with or assume in your CDP operation. Volunteers do not replace staff. Be sure to notify your chain of command in writing and obtain permission/waiver to use volunteers in lieu of paid staff as part of the MAC plan. Don't wait until an emergency situation arises before you recruit volunteers. Establish on-going procedures for recruiting volunteers. Ask to be included in installation volunteer orientation sessions. Include interested volunteers in your on-going training program and provide the same basic orientation course offered to active duty military. This way if an emergency arises you will already have a pool of volunteers who have some minimum train-ing and experience with CDP. Pair volun-teers up with experienced staff. Nurturing Staff While some staff may rise to the occasion and feel able to cope, others may be burdened with extra duties and responsibilities that prevent them from working additional hours or even their normal duty schedule. One thing you want to avoid is forcing staff members who may already be stressed into working schedules they may not be able to handle. The key is flexibility. Establish a permissive leave policy to allow employees who are stressed out to take time away from their job. Provide support and understanding to employees who are single parents and allow them time off to be with sick children or to keep doctor appointments. Ask for command approval to give free or

reduced child care to employees who are willing to work extended hours, weekends or evenings to support child care operations. Taking care of your own staff will have dividends beyond that which can be measured! •••••••••••••••••••••••••• UNDER THE BEST OF CONDITIONS, KEEPING CDP STAFFED IS DIFFI-CULT. DURING MOBILIZATION, CDP MANAGERS NEED TO REMAIN FLEX-IBLE TO ENSURE PROGRAMS REMAIN STAFFED AND OPERATIONAL EXPEDITE BACKGROUND CLEARANCE CHECKS To facilitate initiating and tracking back-ground clearance checks it may be easier for one member of CDP management staff to take responsibility for background clearance checks across the board for all CDP programs. During emergencies, Navy Central Registry, Local Security, CAAC/DAPA, and NCIS checks serve as the minimum background check requirements for those having direct contact with children. Work out a procedure in advance so that results can be completed within 24-48 hours. Work closely with installation proponents who are responsible for initiating, conducting and completing background checks. The time to network and establish a working relationship with these individuals is NOW! Do you know who your POC's are? Do they understand the reason behind the requirement for background checks? Has the importance of timeliness been stressed? Has a system


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been developed for tracking the results? Develop a way to expedite getting the initial paperwork to the proponents and obtain the results of the checks. One way to expedite initiating the checks may be for someone to hand carry them to the proponents. One way to obtain the results quickly is for the proponents to obtain telephonic verification or computer verification of record check. When accepting telephonic verification of records checks, be sure to note the name of the individual providing the information to you and ask that they follow up with written verification. Whatever you decide, make sure this is a coordinated effort between CDP and the background check proponent. Minimum background check requirements which must be met in emergency situations, for those who will have direct contact with children, can be found at FIGURE 7.


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MINIMUM BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS DURING EMERGENCY OPERATION

Type of Check CDC Staff/Volunteers

CDH Providers Active Duty /Volunteer

Drug & Alcohol X X X

Navy Central Reg-istry

X X X

Local Security X X X

NCIS Check X X X Figure 7


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DETERMINE TRAINING NEEDS Under normal circumstances, CDP staff and CDH providers will complete essential training requirements prior to being allowed to care for children. However, during mobilization or emergency situations, the amount and type of training will need to be modified to get staff and providers on board within a relatively short period of time. If new staff will be working with a trained staff member, it may not be essential that they have first aid, CPR, communicable disease and administering medication training prior to working with children. On the other hand, it is essential that CDH providers receive this training as they work in isolation. FIGURE 8 is based on the minimum re-quirements for training individuals caring for children under a short-term site option and may be used in all CDPs during MAC situations. Generally, training should be a minimum of four (4) hours and include child abuse prevention, positive discipline techniques, basic health and safety practices, and age appropriate activities. T&C Specialists will have to coordinate closely with CDC/CDH Directors and proponents to determine specific requirements appropriate to the situation.

Although training should be accomplished as quickly as possible and paperwork require-ments minimized, closer observation and follow-up may be necessary on the part of CDP management staff. Sacrificing essential knowledge and skills for the sake of expedit-ing training can have disastrous consequences without compensating oversight and supervi-sion.


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MINIMUM STAFF TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Training Element

CDC Staff Active Duty Military

Volunteers

CDH Providers

First Aid X

CPR X

Child Abuse/Neglect Identification and Reporting and

Prevention

X X

Developmental Activities for Children

X X

Positive Discipline Techniques X X

Basic Health and Safety Practices

X X

Communicable Diseases X


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POLICY MODIFICATIONS Flexibility is the key to CDP success in supporting families during MAC conditions. Flexibility means that Navy CDPs may have to modify long standing policies in order to meet emergency challenges. Temporary relaxation of some standards and streamlined procedures may be necessary at installations with deployed units, those that are designated as casualty assistance centers, or those that are experiencing an emergency or contingency situation. Fire, safety, facility, health, family advocacy and civilian personnel proponents must work with CDP staff as a MAC team to make joint recommendations to the commander on which standards should be modified. The responsible commander in consultation with functional proponents may approve short-term policy and MEO modifications and waivers for interim MAC initiatives. A sample worksheet follows to record policy/MEO modifications, installation commander concurrence, funding requirements. It is critical that you maintain this worksheet as a "living document" and a way of tracking all policy modifications approved for MAC situations. This will be required for audit purposes later on. However, once the extraordinary circumstance is over applicable standards and requirements must again be followed. Areas which may require MAC team review for policy and procedural modifications include: • Background clearances • Training

• Health assessments • Registration information • Priorities for care • Provider certification criteria • Criteria for off-base spaces • Fees and charges • Facility standards Immunization requirements and staff/child ratios may not be waivered/modified under any circumstance. Health and sanitation precautions must remain stringent to preclude outbreaks of communicable diseases. Additionally, the MAC team should antici-pate unique issues such as:

How will temporary withdrawals from CDPs be handled?

Will spaces be held until children return or will their spaces be temporarily "loaned" to other parties?

Has a reentry plan been developed for staff and providers, who leave the installation during deployment but plan to return after-wards?

At what point will operations return to "normal"? What is a reasonable "end date" to be established? Once the MAC team decides which issues require modifications to policy and command attention put their recommendations in writing and forward them through the chain of command. In order to preserve the safety and well-being of children who are in care, commanders must ensure that programs with policy


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modifications and interim waivers have increased proponent and CDP management oversight. The CDP Administrator must:

Maintain a record of any short-term policy and MEO modification and waivers for interim MAC initiatives approved by the commander.

Forward a copy to the chain of command

Notify the chain of command when normal operations have resumed.


SAMPLE

Navy Mobilization and Contingency (MAC) Plans Policy MEO/Interim Waiver

Documentation Record Policy / MEO Command Date Modification Date Modification +/- Funding Required +/- FTE Required Interim Waiver Approval Waiver in Effect Waiver Rescinded (detail NAF & APF) (detail NAF & APF)

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FINALIZE, COORDINATE AND SEEK APPROVAL FOR MAC PLAN

As you will discover, with an undertaking the size of mobilization or the suddenness of a natural disaster, you will have many issues, circumstances and situations to consider prior to formalizing your MAC Plan. After the CDP MAC team has:

(1) reviewed the installation mission

(2) assessed current status of CDP op-tions

(3) checked to ensure Child Development Homes Plans exist for children of single and dual military parents

(4) anticipated needed services and identified viable care options based on installation mission

(5) identified and have written approval for use of temporary sites

(6) plans in place for staffing, training, supplies, equipment and expediting background clearance checks - it is time to put your collective thoughts and proposed plan in writing.

Develop your CDP MAC plan as a working guide. Coordinate it with the installation POC for mobilization/contingencies to ensure that it is in the approved installation format. Forward Both your working document and appendix via the chain of command for approval. Once the plan, including any exceptions to policies, has been approved the development phase of you MAC plan is complete.


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NAVY CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS CHECKLIST 1: DEVELOPING THE MAC PLAN ____ The appropriate office on the installation has been contacted to determine if a CDP

Mobilization Plan exists. Name of Office________________________ POC_________________________________ Phone Number_________________________ ____ A determination has been made as to what extent mobilization/deployment will affect the

installation. Answers to the following questions are noted along with implication. a. Does my installation have a large active duty population subject to be deployed? YES____ NO____ IMPLICATION b. Is my installation a training site? YES____ NO____ IMPLICATION c. Will my installation support the National Guard or Reserves? YES____ NO____ IMPLICATION


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d. Will my installation function as a: hospital evacuation site? YES____ NO____ casualty assistance center? YES____ NO____ processing point for activated units? YES____ NO____ return point for deployed units? YES____ NO____ other YES____ NO____ IMPLICATION e. Will families be evacuated or restricted to on base? YES____NO_____ IMPLICATION__________________________________________________________________ A CDP Mobilization and Contingency (MAC) Team has been established. Team members

are as follows: CDP Administrator_____________________ Work Phone No.______________ Home Phone No.______________ CDC Director________________________ Work Phone No.______________ Home Phone No.______________ CDH Director________________________ Work Phone No.______________ Home Phone No.______________ T&C Specialist________________________ Work Phone No.______________ Home Phone No.______________ Youth Director_____________________________ Work Phone No.______________ Home Phone No.______________


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____ Role of each team member has been clearly defined and discussed with each individual. ____ Alternate on-base temporary sites have been identified. LOCATION BUILDING NUMBER _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ ____ Alternate off-base services have been identified. LOCATION PHONE NUMBER _______________________ ____________________ _______________________ ____________________ _______________________ ____________________ _______________________ ____________________ ____ Coordination and approvals have been obtained from installation proponents on temporary/alternative sites. Public Works POC___________________ Phone No.__________ Fire POC___________________ Phone No.__________ Safety POC___________________ Phone No.__________ Health POC___________________ Phone No.__________ Other___________ POC___________________ Phone No.__________ Other___________ POC___________________ Phone No.__________ Other___________ POC___________________ Phone No.__________ ____ Approvals for temporary or alternative sites are on file at____________________. Copies

are filed at APPENDIX L.


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____ CDH and short term care site options have been explored. Options checked are to be

utilized. CDH Other ____ Extended hours care ____ short term facility ____ Long-term care ____ volunteers in command space ____ Respite/emergency care ____ Off-base homes ____ Off-base referral ____ Parent co-op ____ Babysitter training and referral ____ Special interest programs ____ Resource and referral ____ CDP maintains a current copy of a Family Care Plan, for all children of single and dual

active duty parents. ____ A master list of children having a Family Care Plan is on file at the CDC office and has

been updated as of__________ (minimum semi-annually). List is filed at APPENDIX M. ____ A listing of unit POC's and phone numbers are as follows: UNIT POC PHONE No. _______________ __________________ ___________________ _______________ __________________ ___________________ _______________ __________________ ___________________ _______________ __________________ ___________________ _______________ __________________ ___________________ _______________ __________________ ___________________ ____ Equipment and supplies have been identified for use at temporary sites. Listing is filed at

APPENDIX N. Purchase requests are on file at ________ for items not presently on hand. ____ Administrative supplies are available and are located at__________________. ____ CDP staff and CDH providers have been surveyed to assess availability in the event of

mobilization (remain on-post, depart, etc). Results of survey are filed at APPENDIX O. .


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____ A contingency plan has been developed to replace departing staff and/or expand staffing

and is filed at APPENDIX P. ____ A working relationship with installation POC's for initiating/conducting individual

background clearance checks has been established. Minimum check requirements in the event of an emergency, POC's and phone numbers are as follows.

TYPE OF CHECK POC PHONE No. Drug & Alcohol _________________ ______________ Navy Central Registry _________________ ______________ Local Security _________________ ______________ NCIS _________________ ______________ ____ Training needs for additional CDC staff (to include volunteers, military personnel, etc.) and

CDH Providers have been identified and coordinated with program directors and installation proponents. Training to be provided is listed below with individual responsible for each training element.

CDC/CDH Staff, Volunteers, Military Personnel TRAINING ELEMENT INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE PHONE No. ___________________ __________________________ ____________ ___________________ __________________________ ____________ ___________________ __________________________ ____________ ___________________ __________________________ ____________ CDH Providers TRAINING ELEMENT INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE PHONE No. ____________________ ________________________ _____________ ____________________ ________________________ _____________ ____________________ ________________________ _____________ ____________________ ________________________ _____________ ____ CDP MAC Plan has been developed and coordinated with installation POC for

mobilization to ensure consonance with the Installation Mobilization Plan.


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____ CDP MAC Plan has been submitted to the CDP Administrator for coordination through the

chain of command. ____ Approved plan is maintained at the CDP Administrator's office and a copy is filed at

APPENDIX Q. Plan includes alternate arrangements for child care in the event daily operation can not continue in the CDC or in CDH homes as a result of an unforeseen emergency.

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CHAPTER III MONITORING THE MAC PLAN The Value of Monitoring Set Schedule for Periodic Evaluation Consider Situations That May Affect Your Plan Make Appropriate Changes ⊄ Reevaluate ⊄ Rewrite ⊄ Re-approve ⊄ Resubmit

Monitoring the MAC Plan

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THE VALUE OF MONITORING It is easy for many people to put aside a plan once it has been developed thinking it will still be viable when and if the need arises. However, there is a danger in this. The CDP MAC plan is a "living document". This means it must be periodically reviewed so new information can be incorporated as situations change. Staff turnover, facility availability and the installation mission could impact on your initial plans. The MAC plan must be current so that CDP can respond effectively within a relatively short period of time. For example, an alternative site which you have identified as viable may no longer be available (someone now occupies it or it has been demolished); new management staff and installation proponents may not be aware that a MAC Team or Plan exist or what their role or responsibilities are in the event units are mobilized and deployed. Periodic monitoring is essential to ensure new team members are involved and that the MAC plan remains workable and viable. Monitoring your MAC plan means: Ensuring information is current Affirming viability of implementation/ adequate allocation of resources Updating new staff members and propo-nents Clarifying team member roles Conducting problem-solving sessions Refining procedures/clearing up misunder-standings

Revising/reaffirming policy exceptions Examining outcomes of policy decisions During the planning stage you empowered the MAC Team to take control and develop a plan - you established a process for each individual team member to learn, grow, develop and contribute. You facilitated a climate for team performance and, in essence, developed a learning environment. Now you must create a learning environment that may include change...foster an attitude of openness to new ideas and a willingness to explore new possibilities. Change is a fact of life. Look at change as a process - it cannot take place unless it occurs through people. People must decide that the change should be made, how the change will be done and how to make it work. Commitment on the part of the MAC team, whether members are old or new, will develop through their investment in the process as well as the outcomes. Involving team members and empowering them to monitor/evaluate their part of the MAC plan will make them increasingly responsible and strengthen their commitment to successful outcomes. Each team member has a role in monitor-ing/evaluating the MAC Plan. Problems are usually best known by those who deal with the situation on a day-to-day basis. CDP proponents and managers know what will work and what will not - they are key to identifying the need for and implementing change! When ideas and recommendations for change are submitted from those closest to the problem, the chance of successful implementation of these ideas is much


39

greater. Participation has another benefit...that of reducing resistance to change. Discussing the problem and its ramifications can help other team members understand (learn) why change is necessary. Full participation means that as team leader you must allow all team members to participate in the decision-making process. Full participation requires open communication and opportunities to influence decisions and outcomes. What does it mean for a team to learn? According to Cynthia D. Scott and Dennis Jaffe in their book Empowerment: A Practi-cal Guide for Success, it means that the team not only gets the job done, but does it in such a way that they learn to do it again and do it more effectively. The key skill is not simply getting the job done, but also learning how to learn. SET SCHEDULE FOR PERIODIC REVIEW Setting a schedule for periodic review of the CDP MAC Plan will help to ensure it is always current. All members of the CDP MAC Team, to include installation propo-nents, should review the plan together. Consider scheduling the review in conjunc-tion with your Command Multi-Disciplinary Team Inspection process and as part of the annual PERS-659 inspection criteria review. Also, check with the "Operations" office on your installation responsible for the Installation Mobilization Plan - they probably require updates on a scheduled basis. Do not take this process lightly. Being prepared can save time and undue hardship to the families we are here to support.

CONSIDER SITUATIONS THAT MAY AFFECT YOUR PLAN With the Navy rapidly changing, it is important that we keep up with the changes that could impact on the installation as a whole or on specific organizations. Periodically check with your installation mobilization POC to determine if the installation mission has changed. In addition, facilities once designated for alternative child care sites might not still be available. It is also likely that the original MAC team will experience turnover in personnel. Be sure new CDP management staffs are imme-diately informed of their roles as members of the CDP MAC Team. Part of their initial CDP orientation should be to review the existing MAC plan. The same holds true for any changes in installation proponents. Not only do proponents need to be informed, but also they may have knowledge of previously untapped resources and provide suggestions for making the plans work more effectively. MAKE APPROPRIATE CHANGES Changes to the MAC plan must be incorpo-rated within a reasonable amount of time, generally within thirty days of the review process. Follow the same process of having your CDP Administrator gain approval through the chain of command and incorpo-rate any changes into the Installation Mobi-lization Plan. The call to mobilize and deploy could come with very little notice. In essence, monitoring the CDP MAC Plan is


40

a cycle of reevaluating, rewriting, reapproving and resubmitting (FIGURE 9).

Figure 9 Monitoring/evaluating keeps program direc-tors in touch with the needs of the commu-nity. Left alone, even a carefully, creatively developed plan may not be effective if not reaffirmed or revised. Look at the MAC monitoring process as "windows of opportunity."

The Cycle of Monitoring

Reevaluate

Resubmit Rewrite

Reapprove


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NAVY CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS CHECKLIST 2: MONITORING THE MAC PLAN _____Schedule for periodically evaluating the CDP MAC Plan has been established. Dates and locations for periodic evaluation are as follows: DATE LOCATION _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _____Mobilization POC on the installation is contacted twice a year to determine if there are changes in installation mission. Dates contacted are as follows: DATE STATUS _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _____New CDP staff and installation proponents are briefed on CDP MAC Plan, as turnover occurs on the MAC team, and all participate in the monitoring/evaluating the MAC plan. NEW STAFF/PROPONENTS DATE BRIEFED _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _______________________ _________________ _____New or additional temporary alternative sites for child care are evaluated and approved, and documentation kept on file. Copies are filed at APPENDIX L.


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____Members of the CDP MAC Team review plans and when necessary make recommendations for improvement or change. Dates plan was reviewed are as follows: DATES REVIEWED __________________________ __________________________ _____Recommended changes are incorporated into the MAC plan and resubmitted for approval. Changes include: ____________________ SUBMITTED DATE _____Revised MAC Plan has been coordinated through the CDP Administrator and approved through the chain of command. APPROVAL DATES ___________________________________ _____________________________________ ___________________________________ _____________________________________ ___________________________________ _____________________________________ _____Revised and approved MAC Plan is submitted to the Installation Mobilization POC and a copy kept on file with the CDP Administrator. Most current MAC Plan is filed at APPENDIX T. _____Installation MAC Plan has been reviewed during the Command Multi-Disciplinary Team Inspection. DATE REVIEWED AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE ___________________________________ _____________________________________

Implementing the MAC Plan

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CHAPTER IV IMPLEMENTING THE MAC PLAN Implementation: Putting Your Plan Into Action Restructure Types of Care Offered Aggressively Offer Short Term Care Sessions Utilize CDH Lending Libraries Increase Recruitment Efforts Train New Staff, CDH Providers, Active Duty Military and Volunteers Caring for Children


44

IMPLEMENTATION: PUTTING YOUR MAC PLAN INTO ACTION Some CDPs have already had to implement their MAC Plan on one or more occasions! For others, implementation is likely, but the timing is unknown. Some may never have to implement their plan. The process of monitoring and evaluating your plan, requires extensive consultation, coordination, and cooperation. The more times you consult - the more time it takes. However, there is a trade off. Although it takes time, the more information the MAC team considers, the more knowledgeable and flexible members are in handling unexpected situations and resolving difficulties. The more people are involved in making a decision, the more committed they are to implementing it. The MAC implementation process will only be as good as the plan the team developed and monitored. Always be prepared to put your plan into action. Do not be concerned, however, if you find that the MAC plan needs adjustment as it is being implemented. If you see something that can be done more effectively and efficiently get your ideas quickly to the chain of command and ask for a decision. Supervisors or commanders cannot help unless they know what needs to be "fixed".

RESTRUCTURE TYPES OF CARE OFFERED During mobilization and deployment expect demands for different types of care to fluctuate. As some families leave the in-stallation, you may see a decline in attendance of full-day and part-day programs. On the other hand, the need for care could increase dramatically and necessitate the opening of temporary child care sites previously identified and approved by your installation proponents. These temporary facilities are more likely to be needed on installations identified as casualty assistance locations or where large numbers of reserve component families have accompanied Sailors for deployment. Extending/changing operating hours is a given. Requests to provide care for longer periods of time are likely as the duty day is extended. There will also be the need for overnight and long-term care - most often in CDH. The CDH Director should be prepared to request interim emergency endorsements for extended hours, long-term, respite and emergency care. Accessing additional off base services will be necessary at many installations. If you have already been collaborating with community child care programs, supporting the needs of military families during times of crisis will be much easier. See appendices A through J for descriptions of specific care options and their unique application to and suitability for various MAC situations.


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AGGRESSIVELY OFFER SHORT TERM CARE SITES Predeployment briefings are a major part of preparing Sailors and family members to cope with upcoming separations. Child care needs during MAC briefings and family support group meetings can easily be accommodated through Short Term Care or Volunteers providing care at command sites. Volunteering also serves an additional purpose - it enables family members to help one another out, fosters unit cohesiveness and further establishes a support system for spouses. This support can ultimately result in a lasting bond long after the emergency situation is over. Marketing these child care options is a way to demonstrate CDPs proactive support for Sailors and their family members. Let unit commanders and organizations that support family members know about these options. Equally important is for CDP to be flexible. Advance notice will be minimal. This is not the time for CDP to be or be perceived as the "rat" in bureaucrat. UTILIZE CDH LENDING LIBRARY Using additional equipment from the CDH Lending Library - to supplement materials in new provider's homes and set up temporary alternative sites - is important in setting up environments for young children. If additional equipment and supplies are needed, now is the time to submit those purchase requests, which you have prepared earlier. Use civic and private organizations as additional sources to obtain items quickly.

Even under temporary contingencies, make environments cheerful and inviting for young children. Include toys and equipment that are durable, open-ended and easily used by children. Staff will likely need to be more "nurturing" than usual so "free them up" by ensuring the environment is supportive. Be sure to keep good records and an accurate inventory of where various materials "are" as well as where they need to be returned. INCREASE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS Some CDP staff and CDH providers will elect to return home while waiting for the return of their spouses. Since you have already surveyed the staff and providers, you have an indication as to whether: individuals plan to depart, continue working, or prefer to work in another CDPs (e.g. some caregivers may prefer to work as CDH providers during this period and vice versa). Supporting their decisions is important during these unusually stressful times. In most cases existing staff will not be able to handle the increased workload. Solicit Personnel Office support to permit adjustment of CDP and youth staff schedules and work sites on short notice. This flexi-bility will allow program directors to assign staff where and when they are needed. At the same time, increase recruitment efforts for flexible (FLEX) employees to help you over the staffing hurdle. If necessary, military personnel not deployed with their unit may be able to support CDPs. Be sure new staff, volunteers and military personnel have the support and assistance of


46

experienced staff. TRAIN NEW STAFF, CDH PROVIDERS, ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY AND VOLUNTEERS Streamlined training plans should already be "on the shelf" - ready to implement with new staff, CDH providers, volunteers or military assigned to CDPs. Be flexible in your training approach. Offer group training for potential CDH providers and volunteers during the day - use Short Term Child Care Sites for their children. Training can even be offered on a one-on-one basis if the need dictates. Keep the training simple, yet complete enough so as not to sacrifice the quality of care provided to children. Health, safety and child abuse prevention training components are paramount. Because training of new staff, CDH providers, volunteers and military personnel will be abbreviated, closer observation and follow-up will be necessary on the part of CDP management staff. CARING FOR CHILDREN The quality of developmental programs offered to children is vital to their future growth and development. Children learn most effectively through a concrete, play-oriented approach. Therefore, the environ-ment is important in caring for children. Not only must their developmental needs be met, but also their physical, social and emotional needs as well. During the planning phase, the MAC team came to a consensus as to where and how child care would be provided, as well as the supplies and equipment necessary to operate. It is during the implementation

phase that all this comes together.

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NAVY CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS CHECKLIST 3: IMPLEMENTING THE MAC PLAN _____Child care needs of the installation have been identified and programs realigned as follows: NEEDS IDENTIFIED PROGRAMS REALIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS _____Identified temporary alternate child care sites are in use. Sites include: _____ Operating hours have been expanded as follows: _____"Emergency" endorsement for extended hours, long term care, respite care and emergency care in FCC homes have been obtained. CDH providers who received endorsements are listed as follows:


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PROVIDER ENDORSEMENT ADDRESS PHONE # __________ _______________ __________________ ____________ __________ _______________ __________________ ____________ __________ _______________ __________________ ____________ __________ _______________ __________________ ____________ _____Short Term programs offered to support briefings and family support groups are listed below: PROGRAM PURPOSE DATE LOCATION ________ ___________________ _________ __________________ ________ ___________________ _________ __________________ ________ ___________________ _________ __________________ ________ ___________________ _________ __________________ _____Purchase requests for the following identified supplies and equipment have been submitted: IDENTIFIED SUPPLIES/EQUIPMENT DATE SUBMITTED DATE RECEIVED __________________________________ _________________ ________________ __________________________________ _________________ ________________ __________________________________ _________________ ________________ __________________________________ _________________ ________________ __________________________________ _________________ ________________ __________________________________ _________________ ________________ _____Personnel Office increased recruitment efforts by: _____Personnel Office approval for adjusting CDP staff work schedules and work sites has been obtained. Approval is filed at APPENDIX U. _____New staff, volunteers and military personnel paired with staff members who have completed background checks and who are trained. Names of individuals and staff member paired with are listed below:


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NEW STAFF/VOLUNTEER/MILITARY PERSONNEL STAFF PAIRED WITH _______________________________________ _________________________________ _______________________________________ _________________________________ _______________________________________ _________________________________ _______________________________________ _________________________________ ____Abbreviated training provided to new staff, CDH providers, volunteers and military personnel. Dates provided are as follows: TRAINING COMPLETED DATE NAME POSITION ______________________ ________ _____________ _____________ ______________________ ________ _____________ _____________ ______________________ ________ _____________ _____________ ______________________ ________ _____________ _____________ USE THIS SPACE TO DOCUMENT/ANNOTATE ADDITIONAL MAC INITIATIVES THAT ARE UNDERWAY. ____Approved policy modifications and interim waiver list attached. Date modifications/waivers went into effect and date rescinded are noted. ____Chain of command notified of implementation of MAC Plan. DATE NOTIFIED: ______________ ____Chain of command notified of date operations returned to normal. DATE NOTIFIED: ______________


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CHAPTER V LESSONS LEARNED The cycle of developing, monitoring and implementing the MAC Plan does not conclude

when mobilization, deployment or other contingency situations end. After the emergency is over,

members of the MAC Team should regroup to discuss:

What worked well

What could have worked better

Lessons learned by the experience

This step in the MAC cycle may well be the most important, because you will use this information

to amend the MAC Plan and improve how the MAC Team will respond in the future.

Practical suggestions from those CDP staff who already have been involved in mobilization

efforts, and who have experienced emergency situations where children have been relocated are

listed as follows.

Lessons Learned

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LESSONS LEARNED

Establish a caregiver relief team of FLEX employees to reduce the need for working regular staff overtime.

Ensure that CDH Lending Library is well stocked. Don't wait until an emergency to begin ordering supplies and equipment.

Send a CDP representative to attend installation mobilization meetings.

Keep Family Care Plan information current!

Maintain regular contact with installation support groups, e.g. Navy Fleet and Family Support Center, Family Support Groups, to keep abreast of and anticipate the need for special services and programs.

Share the talents of your staff by presenting workshops to installation groups, e.g. dealing children’s negative emotions, helping children cope with deployment, handling separation anxiety, discussing terrorism with children.

Use FFSC and CDP Resource and Referral services to assist families who may be relocating to other Navy installations.

Make arrangements with the commissary/NEX to draw food for your program if an emergency situation arises.

Coordinate with the Military Police or Installation Security Office to increase physical security in and around CDP facilities if there are risks of terrorist activities.

Maintain a confidential list of children with a deployed family member. Staff can provide additional support and comfort to these children when necessary.

Maintain a list of installation and local resources available to help staff and children handle stress.

Make additional visits to CDH providers whose spouses have deployed. Organize a support group for these providers.

Arrange with the commander to offer free or reduced child care services for support group meetings and other special events.

Implement streamlined CDP registration procedures.

Lessons Learned

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Coordinate with the immunization clinic to arrange for an influx of children who may require

immunizations, e.g. establish immunization day either at the clinic or on site at the CDC. Ask clinic to give priority appointments to designated families.

Prearrange to have a NAF or APF vehicle available should it be necessary to transport children.

Involve an FFSC social worker in establishing a support group for school age children.

Adjust the focus of parent meetings to meet the needs of those present - geographically separated, grandparents as guardians, etc.

Lessons Learned

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•••••••••••••••••••••••• INSTALLATION LESSONS LEARNED SEND A COPY TO BUPERS-659C TO SHARE WITH OTHER PROGRAMS

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CHAPTER VI ADDITIONAL ISSUES TO CONSIDER Mobilization and deployment, as well as other types of emergency situations are stressful to parents, staff and children. Financial pressures, increased work loads and behavior changes in children are additional issues you must be prepared to face. ASSISTING FAMILIES IN NEED Patrons' financial situations may change dramatically as a result of deployment. When National Guard and Reserve Units are called upon to mobilize and deploy for extended periods of time, their families are often the hardest hit emotionally and financially. Many of these Sailors will be leaving high paying jobs to serve their country for much less pay. Although Guard and Reserve families are aware of this potential loss of income, they are rarely prepared for such drastic changes. Options for CDPs to consider may include waiving of registration fees, soliciting scholarships for families with financial hardships, implementing the hardship provi-sion authorized by the DOD Child Care Fee Policy, and using FFSC funding to support respite care. Funding for emergency child care services may also be available through the Combined Federal Campaign, Navy Emergency Relief, and Red Cross programs. Understanding other organization's roles during mobilization is key to ensuring parents know where to go for assistance. For example, Navy Fleet and Family Support Centers can provide budget counseling and assist families with financial problems.

Subsidies for Child Development Homes Homes - particularly hourly care, extended hours care and long term care will be essential. Be sure the procedures and funding are approved in advance. Additional APF/NAF subsidy money may be needed for CDC extended hours or special openings if determined necessary. COPING WITH STRESS A great deal will be asked of CDP staff and providers when the MAC plan is imple-mented. They may provide a variety of care options, work extended hours, be called on short notice, set up operations in new and unfamiliar surroundings, provide twenty-four hour or long-term care for children and be overwhelmed as they attend to the needs of parents and children. Many will also be experiencing the effects of mobilization and deployment on a personal level. As their spouses are deployed, most employees and providers will require a support system to enable them to cope with the stresses they are experiencing. CDP Managers should be sensitive to changing family situations - expect short tempers and emotional displays. Being understanding and offering a sympathetic ear may be all that is needed. Simple activities such as potluck dinners, movies, and bowling help to establish an internal support group for CDP staff and providers. Encouraging staff and providers to attend their spouses unit support group meetings is another way to offer them assistance.

Additional Issues for Consideration

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Additionally, take advantage of programs that are being offered by installation support agencies. Ask them to conduct stress management workshops for CDP staff and CDH providers. This training can also help them cope with children who are also ex-hibiting signs of stress. Ensure staff and providers have a listing of installation agencies and their phone numbers should they require further assistance. Assure them that feeling stressed is normal and not uncommon under the circumstances. HELPING CHILDREN COPE Changes brought on by deployment of one or both parents can cause stress and behavior changes in children. Often we underestimate the effect that these situations have on children. Typical behaviors that may be observed in young children include excessive clinging to the other parent, aggression, and regression to earlier stages of development. Older children, on the other hand, understand the risks involved in deployment situations and may become overly concerned with the possible death or serious injury of the deployed parent. As a result, older children may become depressed or withdrawn. For additional signs of stress in children see FIG-URE 10.


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Figure 10 As early childhood professionals, we should be alert to these behaviors and provide opportunities for children to share their feelings. Sending original artwork, writing letters, e-mailing, sending videos or cassettes to the deployed parent helps children to

express their innermost feelings. Encouraging parents to provide continued reassurance and maintain daily routines helps children to cope with the situation. Use the CDP parent education module

SIGNS OF STRESS IN CHILDREN Birth - age 3 Regression (toilet training, whining, babyish ways) Increased separation anxiety Sleep problems Increased tantrums Aggression Possessiveness (of toys, possessions and people) Withdrawal or apathy Preschooler (age 3-5) Irritability, whining, tearfulness "Too good" behavior Aggression Need for physical contact Despondent, sad, longing for the past Self-blame and self-accusation Phobias and compulsions At preschool- restless, distractible, fear of failure, excessive daydreaming, poor peer relationships Middle Years (ages 6-12) Open suffering (sadness and grieving) Alarm and fear about present and future Responsible for past, present and future Great conflict (guilt) Anger (expressed and unexpressed) Seeming bravado and courageous Takes matters into own hands Katherine C. Kersey, Ed.D. Old Dominion University


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"Guidelines for Helping Children Cope With Change And Handle Stress" (See Appendix K) with both parents and staff. Ask your T&C Specialist to present workshops utiliz-ing the module prior to and immediately after deployment. Other suggestions for helping children cope with stress can be found at FIGURE 11. A list of supporting resources distributed to installations during Operation Desert Storm can be found at APPENDIX K.

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IMPORTANT STRATEGIES FOR HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH STRESS * Understand the child's level of development. Be on the look-out for

symptoms. Don't punish the child for symptomatic behavior. * Expect regression, changes, problems and anger. * TALK with the child - a lot. Tell him/her how you feel. * Encourage the child to talk. LISTEN. Encourage verbal

expressions of anger. * Reassure the child. * Encourage the child to express opinions, suggestions, and solutions. * Reassure the child of the normalcy of his/her feelings. Expose the

child to other children with the same problems. * Let others help you. Katharine C. Kersey, Ed.D Old Dominion University

Figure 11

Marketing Services in the MAC Plan

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CHAPTER VII MARKETING SERVICES IN THE MAC PLAN Devise a marketing plan once the CDP MAC team has agreed on the types of child care services CDP can offer to families. Of course, word of mouth is the easiest way to spread the word about your services. Other marketing techniques include: -Parent newsletters -Advertisements in the post newspaper -Announcements on the installation radio/television station -Notices in the daily and weekly bulletin -Flyers sent home with school children -Posters advertising types of services being offered -Information briefings to commanders and unit support groups Commanders will need information so they can help Sailors develop a viable care plan for their child(ren). You might provide handouts with an overview of typical characteristics of children at various ages to assist Sailors in selecting a guardian for their child(ren). For example, an elderly grandparent may not be the best choice as guardian for an active 2 year old; nor is a friend in the same unit who

will also be deployed. Remember that it is the commander's responsibility to ensure that a plan is work-able. However, it is a CDPs responsibility to brief commanders on Family Care Plans and what they can expect from CDPs during mobilization. Operating under MAC conditions is an excellent time to highlight parent education courses being offered and to provide reassurances to parents that program quality will not be adversely affected by the changes. Emphasize the positive aspects of any changes required to meet the changing demands for care. Most importantly, don't forget to blow your own horn. Child Development and youth staff and CDH providers are often unsung heroes and heroines during crisis situations. Recognize the efforts of staff and providers in newsletters, flyers, newspaper articles and other media sources. Keep the chain of com-mand informed on the support efforts and services provided by CDPs. Ensure that CDP and youth staff and providers are recognized in public recognition ceremonies hosted once the crisis has passed. During mobilization, CDP has a special responsibility to support the needs of the total Navy family to include active duty and reserve component Sailors, their families and

Marketing Services in the MAC Plan

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the civilian workforce. If our current patrons and potential patrons don't know what's available, then the MAC plan becomes a paperwork exercise. Measure your success by how soon and how well the CDP motto "Our Mission is Caring" becomes a reality on your instal-lation.

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CHAPTER VIII REEVALUATING YOUR PLAN After implementation, it is important for the team to regroup and reevaluate the situation. Was your plan effective? Were installation proponents responsive? Did CDP staff fulfill their responsibilities? Were parents satisfied? Were identified off-base services accommodating? Did implementation produce the desired results? During your planning or decision making phase you determined: What to do in the event of mobilization or unforeseen emergency. How to support the installation mission during mobilization or other contingency. When to put the plan into effect. Who should be responsible for the different aspects of the plan. Why you are putting the plan in place. Go back and reassess your plan. Incorporate "lessons learned" and recommended changes agreed upon by the team, while the ideas are fresh in your mind. The cycle of planning, monitoring, imple-menting and reevaluating is an ongoing process (Figure 12). This process must be long-term to be effective. It must become a way of working life. It must be a team effort.

Figure 12 Remember, the MAC plan represents your CDPs best efforts during mobilization or other contingencies. Success begins with the will to make it happen. Sharing responsibility for the MAC plan with the team members and interdependence on one another during emergency situations will foster a sense of community. There is no doubt that CDP ‘s can make a significant difference in the lives of children when mobilization or contingency conditions are in effect!

"MAC" CYCLE

Planning

Reevaluating Monitoring

Implementing

Reevaluating Your Plan

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NAVY CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS CHECKLIST 4: REEVALUATING THE MAC PLAN USE THIS SPACE TO PROVIDE A WRITTEN SYNOPSIS OF YOUR OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF HOW YOUR MAC PLAN WORKED ON YOUR INSTALLATION. NOTE LESSONS LEARNED IN THE SPACE BELOW. DATE LESSONS LEARNED PROVIDED TO CLAIMANT________________________________ DATE LESSONS LEARNED PROVIDED TO BUPERS-659 ___________________________ DATE LESSONS LEARNED INCORPORATED INTO REVISED MAC PLAN ____________

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BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Adezes, Ichak, Corporate Lifecyles, Prentice Hall, 1988. 2. Barra, Ralf, Putting Quality Circles to Work, McGraw-Hill, 1989. 3. Burkhart, Patrick J. and Reuss, Suzanne, Successful Strategic Planning, SAGE

Publications, Inc., 1993. 4. Garfield, Charles, Peak Performers, William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1986. 5. Herbert, Theodore T., Dimensions of Organizational Behavior, Macmillan Publishing Co.,

Inc., 1981. 6. Katzenbach, Jon R. and Smith, Douglas K., The Wisdom of Teams, Harper Business, 1993. 7. Lewis, Jerre G. and Renn, Leslie D., How to Start a Participative Management Program,

Lewis and Renn Associates, Inc., 1992. 8. Maddux, Robert B., Team Building: An Exercise in Leadership, Crisp Publications, Inc.,

1992. 9. Scott, Cynthia D and Jaffe, Dennis T., Empowerment: A Practical Guide for Success, Crisp

Publications, Inc., 1991.

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INDEX OF APPENDICES Appendix A - Child Development Center (CDC) Appendix B - Child Development Homes (CDH) Appendix C - Short Term Child Care Appendix D - Volunteer Child Care at Command Settings Appendix E – Off-Base CDH Providers Appendix F - Off-Base Referrals Appendix G - Parent Co-ops Appendix H - Babysitter Referral Appendix I - Special Interest Programs Appendix J - Contracted Care in Off-Base Centers Appendix K - Resources Distributed During "Desert Storm" Installation Specific Materials Appendix L - Approval of Temporary Sites Appendix M - Listing of Children With Family Care Plans Appendix N- Installation Equipment and Supplies Appendix O - CDC/CDH/YOUTH Staff Survey Results Appendix P - Plan to Replace/Expand Staffing Appendix Q - Approved MAC Plan

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Appendix R - Most Current MAC Plan Appendix S – Personnel Office - Staff Schedules/Work Sites Appendix T - Appendix U - Appendix V,W.X,Y,Z

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APPENDIX A CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER (CDC) PROGRAMS CDC Directors will need to determine if and how center services should be realigned to support families under MAC conditions. For many patrons, the greatest need will be for full-day care services. More full-time care may be necessary as some spouses return to work to compensate for the lost income of their deployed spouse's second job. If it becomes necessary to expand full-day care, think about relocating preschool age children to temporary alternative sites and keeping infants and toddlers in the main CDC. Part-day preschool programs are often the first CDC service to be considered for elimination to create more full-day and hourly spaces during MAC conditions. Before a final decision is reached, consider the implications for those volunteers who use part-day preschool programs as their primary source of hourly care and make alternate care options available to them. Part-day child care programs may be needed to support family members who previously relied on their deployed spouse to care for their children, while they were employed in the late afternoon/evening or

attended classes. Part-day programs can also serve families in crisis as a component of casualty support and during hospital visiting hours. CDC Directors may be asked to establish CDC annexes around the installation including at hospitals, command headquarters, etc. On-site programs are particularly effective when military and civilian personnel are working in shifts and/or extended hours. Having immediate access to their children bolsters morale and increases their productivity. Alternative child care sites are temporary in nature and generally will revert to their actual purpose after the emergency situation is over. Attempt to minimize facility modifications for temporary sites. Time spent in advance with health, safety and fire proponents in locating the most "suitable" spaces within the facility and determining alternative equivalencies, in lieu of standard changes, is time well spent. ••••••••••••••••••••••••• ADD YOUR OWN COPY OF EXTENDED HOURS CARE CASE STUDY IN CENTER BASED PROGRAMS TO THIS APPENDIX

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APPENDIX B CHILD DEVELOPMENT HOMES (CDH) HOMES The CDH program offers child care provided by authorized providers, operating as independent contractors from government owned/leased housing on-base, or in housing off-base. The flexibility of a small group home setting makes it easy and cost effective to provide a variety of specialized services such as extended hours care and respite care. During MAC conditions, CDH reduces the burden on center-based programs by more easily providing twenty four (24) hour and long-term care during mobilization and hourly care during training exercises. Of all the CDP options, CDH providers are often the most flexible in their ability to meet the needs of parents who are working irregular or unusual hours. Subsidizing CDH fees is one way to recruit providers to provide the types of services needed. Hourly care and respite care homes should be fully subsidized to off-set the loss of "full day income" the provider may otherwise receive. FFSC funding is often available to subsidize respite care as a preventive initiative for at-risk children and families stressed by the circumstances. Normally, only fully certified providers are permitted to provide specialized care. How-ever, under MAC conditions, provisionally

certified providers may provide specialized care on a temporary basis with some addi-tional training and oversight. Anticipate the need to endorse provisionally certified providers quickly to provide specialized care in emergency situations. Additionally, a certain number of homes may need to be identified/designated as emergency backup/on-call homes to accept children at any time during crisis situations, e.g. waiting for a guardian to arrive. CDH as a primary source of care is absolutely essential during MAC situations. Anticipate that some providers may leave the installation while their spouse is deployed and develop your plan accordingly -make it a priority to identify ways to maintain/increase CDH capacity .

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

ADD YOUR OWN COPY OF EXTENDED HOURS CARE TRAINING MODULE FOR CDH PROVIDERS AND ACCOM-PANYING TRAINING GUIDE FOR EPS TO THIS APPENDIX

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APPENDIX C SHORT TERM CHILD CARE SITES Short term care can be offered in locations adjacent to meeting areas which will be used for deployment briefings, family support groups, etc. The key feature of these programs is that the parents of children being cared for must remain on-site -- or immediately accessible -- so they can be easily reached should an emergency arise. As you try to determine which sites are suitable, assemble your team of technical proponents (fire, safety, health, etc.) and provide them with examples of how and when these sites might be used (e.g., family support group meetings, pre-deployment meetings). Once technical proponents understand how the sites will operate, they feel more comfortable in approving the sites for these purposes. Prepare an information paper describing the short term program and how it can help pro-vide child care services to support community events. Provide copies to commanders, chaplains, spouses clubs, volunteer organiza-tions and anyone else on the installation that might benefit by this program. The paper should contain information regarding registration procedures, number of children

that can be accommodated, provisions of meals, payment of services and advance notice to arrange for short term child care sites. In MAC situations, you must be flexible enough to implement a short term child care site with little or no notice. Remember, everyone's stress level is elevated during mobilization or other emergencies so don't make registration and sign-in procedures bureaucratic. Waive the registration fee if families would not ordinarily use your services. Flexibility is the key word for success. ••••••••••••••••••••••••• ADD YOUR OWN COPY OF SOP FOR SHORT TERM CHILD CARE SITES

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APPENDIX D VOLUNTEER CARE IN COMMAND SETTINGS This care option allows free child care to be provided by family members of one military unit or organization, in exchange for similar services at a future, mutually agreed upon time. The child care service must be provided in the same facility or immediately adjacent to the building in which the unit or organization function is being held. Parents must remain in or be immediately adjacent to the building and be immediately accessible to their own children throughout the duration of the session. This option differs from Short Term Sites in that volunteers provide the child care rather than paid CDP staff. Often commanders want to use the volunteer option during unit briefings or support group meetings. In these instances, the care is provided within the unit setting. The CDP role is to support units interested in providing such care by offering training to their volunteers and providing them with equipment and supplies from the CDH Lending Library. This child care option is ideal during unit support group meetings because it fosters cohesiveness and further establishes a support system for spouses. Often just knowing that there are other

spouses with small children can create a bond between families and may result in the implementation of regularly scheduled unit child care co-op operations long after the emergency circumstances have passed. Training volunteers is an important compo-nent of the volunteer child care option. Don't wait until a crisis to think about training. During unit command briefings advertise your training opportunities and emphasize how the unit can "take care of its own" in terms of child care services. If you are faced with the situation of having to train in a relatively short period of time, don't make training volunteers so difficult that you don't have any takers. Give them the support they need in order that they can offer quality child care to their unit. Remember, they will be performing a service to the community and could, at some time in the future, become a CDP employee or an CDH provider. ••••••••••••••••••••••••• ADD YOUR OWN COPY OF SOP "VOLUNTEER CARE IN COMMAND SETTINGS TO THIS APPENDIX

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APPENDIX E OFF-BASE CDH PROVIDERS Off-base homes can provide eligible parents living off the installation with child care in or near their own neighborhood. This care option can often fill a need for off-base parents who find they are without transportation when the service member is deployed. Off-base CDH providers are registered/licensed by the appropriate civilian regulatory agency but are also Navy Certified by the CDH Director. During MAC conditions, individuals operat-ing these homes should be asked or recruited to offer extended hours care, twenty four hour care and respite care if such services are needed. Whether during mobilization, emergency situations or normal operations, Off-base CDH homes offer opportunities for family members to acquire skills which are marketable in today’s work force. Family members, who at one time were CDH providers on an installation and now are living in the civilian community, are able to utilize skills acquired and help meet the child care needs of other military and civilian family members. Family members helping other family members brings a sense of unity to the military community.

••••••••••••••••••••••••• ADD YOUR OWN COPY OF SOP FOR OFF-BASE CDH HOMES TO THIS APPENDIX

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APPENDIX F OFF-BASE REFERRAL In the event of mobilization current infor-mation about off-base programs and services will be absolutely necessary. Be sure you have details about location, hours of operation, fees and licensing. Set up com-munity reference books that contain pictures, brochures and information about local child care programs. Approach the reference books as a real estate agent would--view them as a "multiple listing" that shows what is available and gives perspective patrons some specific details before they go on-site. Be sure parents complete and sign a statement of understanding (that the Navy only refers, does not recommend). A sample format can be found in Figure 7-1. Another major responsibility of the CDP staff is provide potential patrons with guidelines for selecting quality child care. CDP staff can also help parents set up appointments to observe child care programs. Actual selecting and retaining child care services is a parental choice and responsibility.

Under MAC conditions many family mem-bers will return to their home states. Link these families up with the nearest military child care program. CDP staff at the re-ceiving installation can help them get on the CDP waiting list or find care in the new community. ••••••••••••••••••••••••• ADD YOUR OWN COPY OF THE CDP RESOURCE AND REFERRAL SOP AND BROCHURE ON HOW TO CHOOSE CHILD CARE TO THIS APPENDIX

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APPENDIX G PARENT CO-OPS Parent Co-ops operated out of housing units are especially effective in meeting the hourly care and respite needs of young spouses in neighborhood settings. Tap the volunteers you have already trained and recruit them to establish and coordinate parent co-ops. Groups of parents with similar interests may also wish to participate in providing this type of care. Participating in co-ops helps those families, whose budgets are already strained, to make ends meet. The opportunity to receive free child care in return for hours worked in a co-op may be very appealing to them. Joining a co-op will also give them the opportunities to accomplish necessary household duties, such as commissary shopping and provide opportunities to network with other spouses. Contributing to a cause can make a positive difference for young spouses who may feel isolated from their own family support systems. Often parent co-ops, born during emergency situations, continue to thrive

afterwards offering another source of hourly care services to the military community. The success of parent co-ops, set up to function during mobilization, will be directly proportional to the flexibility of the co-op operating requirements and the level of support by CDP staff. ••••••••••••••••••••••••• ADD YOUR OWN COPY OF "THE CO-OPERATIVE OPTION”, U.S. NAVY, DISTRIBUTED FY 94

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APPENDIX H BABYSITTER TRAINING AND REFERRAL The CDP or Red Cross can provide Babysitter Training and Referral service for adults and teen family members living both on and off the installation, takes on new im-portance during mobilization or contingency situations. As part of their training, you may wish to offer stress management training. Although this is not normally included, it may come in handy during stressful situations such as when Sailors are deployed. Babysitters can provide needed respite for parents left behind who must cope with performing the roles of both mother and father. Often a spouse's continuing education or employment was predicated on the soldier caring for the children during off-duty hours. With the soldier unavailable, a sitter may be the answer for the spouse to continue with schooling, employment or other important activities.

Teens often welcome the chance to partici-pate in the mobilization support effort, and many have said that assuming this type of responsibility helped them to redirect their worries about their deployed parent.

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APPENDIX I SPECIAL INTEREST PROGRAMS Special interest programs sponsored by organizations other than CDP, e.g. FFSC, Chaplains, Family Support Groups, may be established to meet the additional child care needs during mobilization. These programs are particularly effective for situations where parents remain on-site and immediately accessible during the duration of the special program. Facility standards should be determined on a case by case basis depending on the type of service offered, parental accessibility and age of children.

CDP staff should provide technical assistance as warranted, and the MAC team should address policies regarding use of toy lending libraries, provisions of training, background checks, etc.

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APPENDIX J CONTRACTED CARE IN OFF-BASE CENTERS Contracting for child care spaces in off-base centers may be a way to meet the increased demand for child care during mobilization. Contracted spaces may be subsidized by the installation to a level at which the patron pays fees within the DoD fee ranges. The subsidy is given to the child care program that then, in turn, offers lower fees to the patrons. The details of any arrangement between the installation and the private sector child development center are determined by locally and specified in a Statement of Work (SOW).

Any program with which the Navy has contracted for child care must meet the local licensing authority standards necessary to ensure the health, safety and well-being of children in care. Off-base centers are not required to meet OPNAVINST 1700.9D standards. Meeting national accreditation qualifications applicable under usual circumstances is not necessary under MAC circumstances. The CDPA serves as the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) and monitors the services provided by off-base centers.

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APPENDIX K ARMY RESOURCES DISTRIBUTED DURING DESERT STORM 1. Guidelines for Helping Children to Cope with Change and Handle Stress, Supplemental Programs and Services Parent Education Module. 2. Helping Parents, Teachers and Caregivers Deal With Children's Concerns About War, Family Communications, Inc., 1991. 3. My Desert Storm Workbook, National Childhood Grief Institute, Minneapolis, MN. 4. Someone In My Family Went Off To The Middle East, Project Me, Inc., 1990. 5. Sailors Go To The Field: A Coloring Book For Soldier's Children, Navy Community Services. 6. A Guide To Predeployment Briefings, Dept. of the Army-PAMPHLET 608-43.

7. Memorandum dated 26 Feb 91, Subject: Navy Community Services School Support Program.

MOBILIZATION AND CONTINGENCY HANDBOOK … document for Child Development Program (CDP)...

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