European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 13, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                All eyes Are on teacher Susan Livengood and the Book she holds during Reading time at the Berlin Center. Is Lynda w. Sparks a Vincenter is Lynda w. Sparks Michelle Emborski helps her daughter Sydney Carmen with a Puzzle at the Center. Continued from Page 13 million children s Center opened in january 1983 at a time when the military was faced with fewer budget constraints than now. While several children s Center programs fall outside the general child care fee schedule most parents with children in the typical full Day care program pay $176 a month for the first child and receive a 30 percent discount on other children. Under its current fee schedule Berlin s program is almost but not quite self sufficient Simonowsky said. However she said Berlin military authorities have accepted the Community s need for affordable Quality child care As Good reason for allowing the program to fall Short of financial self sufficiency. The two alternatives cutting programs or raising fees Aren t attractive Simonowsky pointed out. To keep child care programs in the Community Eye and interest Simonowsky favors an aggressive approach to Public relations. To that end children s Center s Small clients May be seen in Public places during the Holiday season singing Christmas carols and samples of the children s Art often Are sent to supportive members of the Community As thanks for their assistance. Simonowsky equates her approach with not waiting for an invitation. You cultivate resources and you never lose an Opportunity to present child development services  helping out with additional funds is the children s Center association the private organization that plays a key role in the Center s operations. The group raises and contributes Money to fill gaps the Center can t support said army capt. Deborah adent association vice president and the Mother of two children enrolled at the Center. The association s contributions pay for outings additional gym and playground equipment trips related to care givers training needs and child care expenses for families who Are Are in great need adent said. What would she like to see added to Berlin s children s Center More pay for care givers. I think some of them Are better than some teachers. We really ask of our care givers what we asked of our most skilled  Many parents who came to pick up their children from the Center on a Friday afternoon pronounced themselves pleased with the care their youngsters receive at the children s Center. He s already counting and learning colors said army sgt. Lance Lada of his 21/2-year-old son Chris who has attended the Center for six months. Lada s wife Julia regularly observes Chris class before leaving for work in the morning. To her one of the most important elements at play in the children s Center is her son s care giver s willingness to share information about important learning experiences Chris has when his parents Are at work. She has Chris eight hours a Day Julia Lada said. At least she tells me what he  less pleased was army spec. Lavina Hudson a single Mother who believed her 5-year-old Jessika should be exposed to computers at the child care Center. Army sgt. Monique Gary was aware of the Berlin -.�. Is Lynda w. Sparks tedi Simonowsky child development services director at the Berlin Center. Child care Center s reputation As a really Good care Center before she enrolled her children there. Her Only complaint was that she wished it opened earlier. Civilian employee Cynthia Riccomini said she considered care for her three children Ages 6, 3 and 11 months excellent considering the amount of children they have to take care of. I could t ask for any better care. They love my kids. It s that  adent the association vice president is Blunt about her belief that the Center is doing a Good Job of caring for her children. I had a baby 71/2 months ago and i knew i would have to have full time care for it adent said. I would t have had another baby if i had t been Happy with it the care Center. That kind of says it  by Deedee Arrington Doke staff writer a allegations of child abuse at . Child care centers including army run centers atthe Presidio of san Francisco and at Westpoint n.y., have raised questions about How widespread such practices Are. According to statistics released by Usa eur no substantiated instances of child abuse occurred in the army s european child development centers in either fiscal 1987 or fiscal 1988. Substantiated cases of abuse reported in army family Day care Homes in Europe in 1987 included one Case of neglect seven of physical abuse and two of sexual abuse. In those substantiated cases three offenders convicted of child abuse were imprisoned six family Day care certifications were revoked and one certification was suspended. In 1988, Usa eur registered two substantiated cases of physical abuse and one of sexual abuse at army family Day care Homes in Europe. In All three cases family Day care certifications were revoked. One offender was convicted of abuse by court martial and received a jail term. Safe could not provide child abuse statistics involving Day care situations because the cases Are not logged according to who committed them a Safe spokesman said. A Nav eur spokesman said no incidents had been reported in Navy run Day care centers or family child care Homes in Europe during either fiscal year. If a service member such As the spouse of a Day care provider is charged with child abuse the military Likely will investigate and try the Case. If a family member or civilian is accused the Case generally Falls under local jurisdiction although most cases Are handled administratively by . Authorities unless extreme instances of abuse Are involved. We had a Case in Fulda West Germany probably 10 years ago where a child died in a woman s care said Jerry Shiles Legal advisor at the 21 St theater army area come Kaiserslautern. There was significant evidence that the child had been abused. That woman was tried by the German authorities and was sentenced to confinement in the German prison  if family members Are involved Shiles said we cannot compel them to go into counselling. But if they Don to we have a basis for ordering their return to the United  to prevent abusive care givers or their family members from setting up shop elsewhere the services run extensive background checks involving a variety of sources on care giving  air Force for instance requires care providers to be interviewed by mental health professionals. This is in addition to other screening. Such background checks Are made when prospective Day care providers apply to becomes a Steve Morrison desk clerk Tammy Sizemore keeps an Eye on a closed circuit video Monitor installed at the Wei Brincken a child development Center. Is Dave Diehl Nick Batey is careful not to show too much affection to children in his care. Certified. Previous convictions of child abuse generally will prevent a candidate and in Many cases his or her spouse from being approved. Admitted or convicted users of illegal drugs typically Are screened out. Within the next few months a history of family violence such As spouse abuse by the prospective care giver or her spouse also will prevent candidates from being approved by army officials said Bonnie storm Usa eur child development services coordinator. Protecting the children the Specter of abuse the Lack of such a regulation concerned storm and other child care professionals. Existing regulations allowed authorities to use their own discretion in deciding whether to certify such Homes As family Day care providers. We have had situations where a known spouse abuser has been okd said Bonnie storm Usa eur child development services coordinator. There s More sympathy for spouse abuse than drug abuse. We Haven t come to terms with that yet and i m not sure Why. What we say is we Don t recommend it. But ultimately it s the Post commander s decision storm said. And despite the intensity of the screening the system has experienced some close Calls in determining who should be certified storm admitted. One instance involved a woman whose Soldier husband had escaped military investigation for child abuse in the United states by taking their injured abused child to a civilian Hospital for treatment. The Soldier however filed for reimbursement for the child s medical expenses when the family was transferred overseas. The family was rejected As a potential Day care Home when someone linked the Soldier s reimbursement claim with the application for certification storm said. Also blurring the abuse picture is the care giver s interpretation of discipline. While current child care philosophy defines discipline generally As methods used to encourage children to obey Many americans still tend to equate discipline with punishment often physical punishment. Child care professionals promote the time out concept As an acceptable Means of disciplining children in both Home and Day care situations. If a child misbehaves the time out method of discipline prescribes that he spend a certain amount of time away from other children. During this time the child is to be quiet and think about his actions before being permitted to engage in Normal activities again. Despite air Force and army regulations that prohibit Day care providers from meting out physical punishment authorities realize that spanking and other forms of physical punishment Are administered in some Homes. Corporal punishment is not a problem in the centers storm said. There s an understanding there that it can t be done. It s much More of a problem in the family Day care Homes. I think it s used More than we know it  to prevent child abuse and overzealous discipline in its Day care centers the air Force requires each Center to install a video Monitor system. I ignore the cameras said Debbie Scotta a care giver at we Brucken a s child care facility where the cameras were installed More than a year ago. At we Brucken the system is overseen by workers at the Center s front desk. It does not have videotaping capability but its cameras pan Blind spots in the Center keeping a close electronic Eye on potentially vulnerable spots such As the diapering area and bathrooms. Parents the Center s staff reported find the system a reassurance that their children Are Safe. The Only time you notice the camera is when you hear the motor Scotta said. The systems have not yet been installed on All air bases in Europe. The army does not have similar plans for its centers at this time. Page 14 the stars and stripes Friday january 13,1989 tomorrow training for child care. The stars and stripes Page 15