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| Military families fear impact of sequestration on vital childcare services | Military families fear impact of sequestration on vital childcare services |
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| When Patrick Donaldson needed surgery on his back, he was faced with an 18-month recovery period – a heart-sinking prospect for anyone but a particular challenge for a stay-at-home dad with a wife on active duty and a two-year-old toddler to look after. | When Patrick Donaldson needed surgery on his back, he was faced with an 18-month recovery period – a heart-sinking prospect for anyone but a particular challenge for a stay-at-home dad with a wife on active duty and a two-year-old toddler to look after. |
| Patrick's wife works full-time in IT for the Navy in Virginia. She could not take care of their son during working hours while Patrick was recovering. The couple turned to Family Child Care, a military-funded childcare program that provides full-time, part-time and hourly daycare for children of military employees. | Patrick's wife works full-time in IT for the Navy in Virginia. She could not take care of their son during working hours while Patrick was recovering. The couple turned to Family Child Care, a military-funded childcare program that provides full-time, part-time and hourly daycare for children of military employees. |
| "FCC was fantastic help," said Donaldson. "I had the day free to recover and I didn't have to run after a little one – especially because there were limits to picking my son up, after surgery." | "FCC was fantastic help," said Donaldson. "I had the day free to recover and I didn't have to run after a little one – especially because there were limits to picking my son up, after surgery." |
| Most American families have trouble finding dependable childcare. It's even tougher for military families because they move often – 10 times more than their civilian counterparts according to a report from the Department of Defense – leaving little chance to put down roots long enough to know whom to trust. Long work hours on active duty render spouses more like single parents. Added to this, many military families are single-income households, as military spouses experience a 26% unemployment rate – more than double that of their civilian counterparts. | Most American families have trouble finding dependable childcare. It's even tougher for military families because they move often – 10 times more than their civilian counterparts according to a report from the Department of Defense – leaving little chance to put down roots long enough to know whom to trust. Long work hours on active duty render spouses more like single parents. Added to this, many military families are single-income households, as military spouses experience a 26% unemployment rate – more than double that of their civilian counterparts. |
| FCC, however, may be a victim of the sequester – the $85bn round of budget cuts that is sweeping through the federal government, starting this week. The military faces $46bn in spending cuts, which will result in 800,000 civilian employees being furloughed at least one day a week. | FCC, however, may be a victim of the sequester – the $85bn round of budget cuts that is sweeping through the federal government, starting this week. The military faces $46bn in spending cuts, which will result in 800,000 civilian employees being furloughed at least one day a week. |
| FCC is just one of the programs on the sequestration chopping block. The majority of military childcare services are provided through 900 Child Development Centers, which run full-time daycare, including after-school and summer-camp programming. More than 22,000 staff members work in CDC school-age care programs and provide oversight to family child care homes – all of them will, most likely, be subject to furloughs. | FCC is just one of the programs on the sequestration chopping block. The majority of military childcare services are provided through 900 Child Development Centers, which run full-time daycare, including after-school and summer-camp programming. More than 22,000 staff members work in CDC school-age care programs and provide oversight to family child care homes – all of them will, most likely, be subject to furloughs. |
| "We intend to preserve family programs to the greatest extent possible, but some family programs may be affected based on the length of sequestration," said Commander Leslie Hull-Ryde, a spokeswoman for the Department of Defense. | "We intend to preserve family programs to the greatest extent possible, but some family programs may be affected based on the length of sequestration," said Commander Leslie Hull-Ryde, a spokeswoman for the Department of Defense. |
| Thousands of military children could be affected. According to Kathleen Moakler, director of government relations for the Military Family Association, in 2010, the last year for which numbers were available, there were approximately 1 million servicemembers with 1.8 million children ages 13 and under. She estimates that those numbers have not changed much since. The Department of Defense's childcare system serves more than 200,000 children on a daily basis, according to Hull-Ryde. | Thousands of military children could be affected. According to Kathleen Moakler, director of government relations for the Military Family Association, in 2010, the last year for which numbers were available, there were approximately 1 million servicemembers with 1.8 million children ages 13 and under. She estimates that those numbers have not changed much since. The Department of Defense's childcare system serves more than 200,000 children on a daily basis, according to Hull-Ryde. |
| Though some military child care centers are staffed by employees who are not paid by the government, many are on Uncle Sam's payroll. Everett Lopez was one of them. He is a 40-year old stay-at-home dad whose wife is a navy hospital worker on active duty. He worked at three military child development centers between 2004 and 2011, both as a preschool teacher and in after-school programming. | Though some military child care centers are staffed by employees who are not paid by the government, many are on Uncle Sam's payroll. Everett Lopez was one of them. He is a 40-year old stay-at-home dad whose wife is a navy hospital worker on active duty. He worked at three military child development centers between 2004 and 2011, both as a preschool teacher and in after-school programming. |
| "I've seen a lot of single parents who had to send their children to live with their families in their home state, off-base, because there just weren't enough programs and support services available to help them parent," said Lopez. "Dual-military parents have to rely on a lot of care, because they're often rotating deployment or active duty." | "I've seen a lot of single parents who had to send their children to live with their families in their home state, off-base, because there just weren't enough programs and support services available to help them parent," said Lopez. "Dual-military parents have to rely on a lot of care, because they're often rotating deployment or active duty." |
| Of his time working in childcare, Lopez said: "I would see parents' relief at being able to leave their kids in good hands." He believes the stress of losing childcare means "military readiness is going to suffer". | Of his time working in childcare, Lopez said: "I would see parents' relief at being able to leave their kids in good hands." He believes the stress of losing childcare means "military readiness is going to suffer". |
| "The thing about sequestration is that nothing is certain," said Eileen Huck, a deputy director at the Military Family Association, a leading non-profit which advocates on behalf of military families. "That's hard enough on regular families. But these are military families who have already been through a lot." | "The thing about sequestration is that nothing is certain," said Eileen Huck, a deputy director at the Military Family Association, a leading non-profit which advocates on behalf of military families. "That's hard enough on regular families. But these are military families who have already been through a lot." |
| Sequester budget cuts, if they go through, will also impact prison childcare programs and services. Nine states in the US operate Mother and Infants Nurturing Together programs, for women who are pregnant at the time of their incarceration. Though these days differ by state, the programs which can last between three months and two years, aim to provide bonding time and parenting skills for low-risk female inmates. | Sequester budget cuts, if they go through, will also impact prison childcare programs and services. Nine states in the US operate Mother and Infants Nurturing Together programs, for women who are pregnant at the time of their incarceration. Though these days differ by state, the programs which can last between three months and two years, aim to provide bonding time and parenting skills for low-risk female inmates. |
| With the sequester's potential to affect more than 1 million service members, 200,000 children and 22,000 employees, many are hoping for a resolution. | With the sequester's potential to affect more than 1 million service members, 200,000 children and 22,000 employees, many are hoping for a resolution. |
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