European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 22, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday july 22, 1990 the stars and stripes a Page 9 tvs a a a it s if ii in a a. A a or Yusri \ Over Here a six i of s % w v \ \ 5w" so. S 7i v ,5v Lye amp m care giver Machelle Evans watches Jar Over at a some of the smaller children at pin Tamare Sis Gary Minier by Gary Miller Mediterranean Bureau Naples Italy a a year ago it was a boarded up space beneath some apartments. Now the child development Center at pin Tamare is a shiny Glass and Metal reflection of the future of military child care. A i believe this facility sets the Standard m the Mediterranean if not in Europe said Barbara Nelson the director of Naples naval support activity child care centers previously both of the a say a childcare centers were located at the base in Agnano is Miles South of the enlisted Fame y housing area where nearly 500 families Jive. The new $250,000 Center is cradled Between two of the eight High Rise towers at pin Tamare just downstairs from most potential customers. This place has plenty of room and was Worth waiting for a said Filomena Palumbo who had worked at the childcare Center in the base Chapel building rhe Chapel Center has been closed for refurbishing. Its staff moved to pin Tamare and 15 additional care givers were hired for the new Center. A there the facility was built for child care. At the Chapel we worked around the building a said libera Reid a supervisor at the Center. Along with a new building care givers at pin Tamare Are operating according to new standards mandated by Congress in the 1989 military child care act a standards that done to become mandatory throughout the defense department until september. Care givers Are participating in the naval military personnel Comdr a training program which incorporates the new defense department standards. A the lessons Are teaching care givers to be More than baby Sitters a Nelson said. A a they re learning discipline health nutrition and other things that they need to know in order to spend eight or 10 hours a 6 Day in a classroom with the  i sgt a 33 a new care giver comes aboard they Start two lessons about child abuse Reid said. The training program is being offered Navy wide which is an advantage to the care giver she said. A if someone completes say four of the lessons Here and then moves she can pick up where she left off at a child pre Center at another Navy base she said. The 13 lessons have the same titles but int Chi d Ken who h is it a a ran according Lone Standard be by Congress. Sets vary according to the age groups care givers will encounter Reid said. For example one lesson deals with setting up a room  the most of its space and still be Safe for children a she said a other lessons Deal with such subjects As positive guidance building a child s self esteem promoting physical and cognitive development and working with families. 3 o the 0111 1  act the Cen Ter has had to lower the ratio of children to 1 Quot a r by the Center is conveniently located near the High Rise hoeing Man of its caregivers. The ratios Range from one care giver per four infants of 6 weeks to 1 year children Cak incr put a 15 school ase under the act care givers also receive More pay which legislators hoped would curb the High turnover rate. They Start at >5.70 an hour and As they Progress professionally can earn As much As $ 10.19, there Are also new hourly rates for care ranging from $1,50 for children of e-5s and below to $3 for cams and up. The old rates were $1,15 for e-5s and below and $1,25 for those above e-5. Some parents say the new hourly Rales Are too High and have found alternatives to the Center. But the Price of full time care probably wont increase As much. In september the Center will begin chaining according to a four tiered system based on total family income. Parents now pay $50 a week for full time care which covers up to 50 hours a week at the Center plus meals and snacks. Parents will have to furnish tax statements and other information to Justi by anything Jess than $74 a week the High est assess Mem for weekly care Nelson .jj4051, of will pay $52 a week Only a $2 increase Over our current a ice like the care givers training the Pine a enter s design is based on the latest child care doctrine a a big thing right now is child abuse prevention. That a Why we designed this Tho y a is Lethly in mind using All this Glass a Nelson said. A a in a one of the supervisors Here and 1 Aon t warn to be constantly walking into classrooms a Reid said. A there i can just things �?�1 1 a disturbing refurbishing at the Chapel childcare Cente should be completed by the end of july. Then the other facility at Asa will close and its staff and 10 new employees will move to the Chapel Center