European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 9 my Over Here Lissa r Ltd it a w m i a Ltd a a a of Ltd it 1,>% 1c 3 Sij a. -,4> \ -.w. Sufi m pm. Of a wih it a Sas qary Millar care giver Machelle Evans watches Over some of the smaller children pc Pinetum Are a new child Center which is being run according to new standards set by Congress. Asa child Center a sets the standards by Gary Miller Mediterranean Burean 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 Stan. Dard in the Mediterranean if not in Europe a 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 18 Miles South of the enlisted family housing area where nearly 500 families live. The new $250,000 Center is cradled Between two of the eight High Rise towers at pin Tamare just downstairs from most potential customers. A this place has plenty of room and was Worth waiting for Quot said Filomena Palumbo who had worked at the childcare Center in the base Chapel building. The 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 Quot said libera Reid a supervisor at the Center. Along with a new building care give jew 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 militai7 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 Day in a classroom with the children Quot a. Quot As soon As a new care giver Comei aboard they Start two lessons about child abuse a Reid said. The training program is being offered Navy wide which is an advantage to the care giver she said. A if Soto Stone completes say four of the lessons Here and then moves she can pick ult where she left off at a child care Center at another Navy base a she said. The 13 lessons have the same titles but vary according to the age groups care givers will encounter Reid  for example one lesson deals with set Ting up a room to make the most of its space and still be Safe for children Quot she  Jef r lessons Deal with such subjects As positive guidance building a child a self esteem promoting physical and cognitive development and working with families. Because of the child care act the Center has had to War the ratio of children Tot Sas Gary the Center is conveniently located near the High rises housing Many of its customers. Care givers. The ratios Range from one care giver per four infants of 6 weeks to i year in age to one care giver per 15 school age children. Under the act care givers also receive More pay which legislators hoped would curb  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 0-4s 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 rates 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 charging 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. Quot parents will have to furnish tax statements and other information to justify anything less than $74 a week the High Vest assessment for weekly care Quot Nelson a yid. \ most of our people will pay $52 a Weink Only a $2 increase Over our current rate. Like the care givers training the pin Tamare Quiteris design is based on the latest child life doctrine a a big thing right now is child abuse prevention. That a Why we designed this facility with viability in mind using All this Glass Quot Nelson said. A i m one of the supervisors Here and 1 done to want to be constantly walking into classrooms Quot Reid said. A there i can just look without going in and disturbing  refurbishing at the Chapel child care Center 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