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Child, Youth & School (CYS) Services
 
Family >
Child, Youth & School Services >
Information for Parents
(ud.cys 08Dec 9)
Information for Parents
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CYS is committed to improving Family readiness by: |
- Standardizing and funding existing Family programs and services
- Increasing accessibility and quality of healthcare
- Improving Soldier and Family housing
- Ensuring excellence in schools, youth services, and child care
- Expanding education and employment opportunities for Family members
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CYS understands what a tough job parenting can be and is here to help.
Nutrition
 CYS Services provides wholesome, healthy foods for your child. Garrisons within the continental United States participate in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Garrisons outside of the continental United States are not eligible to enroll in the program, but are still required to follow the nutritional guidelines outlined in the USDA CACFP. Based on USDA nutritional guidelines, all CYS programs provide meals that include full-strength juices, dairy, meats, fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods provide the highest nutritional value for your child's health. Garrisons also receive nutritional guidance and educational materials from USDA.
Did You Know...
that your child care fees are lowered due to reimbursement provided to the Army
by its participation in the USDA CACFP? The Army provides a comparable reimbursement to
lower fees for Garrisons outside of the continental United States.
We encourage Families to follow the USDA nutritional guidelines in their homes.
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Baby Signs
Baby Signs is part of the infant and toddler curriculum at many Child Development Centers. Baby Signs is a
sign language program for babies that allows babies and parents to have better communication almost a
full year before the child is able to talk.
The Baby Signs program was developed by child development experts and is the result of two decades of
research funded by the National Institute of Health.
Benefits of the Baby Signs program:
- Reduces frustration
- Strengthens the bond between parent and infant
- Makes learning to talk easier
- Stimulates intellectual development
- Enhances infant self-esteem
- Provides a window into your baby's world
For more information about the Baby Signs program, visit www.babysigns.com.
For information about Baby Signs programs at your Garrison - Click here to find local Garrison CYS services.
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Parents as Teachers
At a time when military Families are increasingly impacted by repeat deployments, demands at home, and the stress
of being away, Parents as Teachers "Heroes at Home" brings professional parenting support and child development
information right to the home of Army Families. The Parents as Teachers (PAT) philosophy is that parents are their
child's first and most influential teachers and the true experts on their child. Working with Families from
pregnancy until their child's entry into kindergarten, the PAT "Heroes at Home" program helps parents develop
secure attachment and encourage their child's development so they will learn, grow, and develop to their full potential.
The Parents as Teachers program uses the Born to Learn model, which includes:
- Visits with the Family by parent educators
- Group meetings
- Developmental and health screenings
- Resource referrals to Garrison and community support services
For more information on Parents as Teachers "Heroes at Home", visit Parents as Teachers.
To learn about Parents as Teachers "Heroes at Home" at your Garrison - Click here to find local Garrison CYS services.
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Parent Central
Parent Central is dedicated to helping parents access current information on children's issues
as well as the most recent parenting resources. The website offers information on child development,
tips related to raising children, finding quality child care and more.
For more information, visit Parent Central.
Home Alone Policy & Guidance
The Department of Defense requires each Garrison to develop a child supervision policy that offers
guidelines for parents and the community to ensure child safety and parental responsibility.
Be sure to check out the Home Alone policy on your Garrison - Click here to find local Garrison CYS services.
Resources for Military Children Affected by Deployment
- "TRICARE 365" DVDs Address Deployment Issues for Military Children
 Military pediatricians and youth professionals, including The United States Army Medical Command and the American Academy of Pediatrics, developed DVDs to help military children understand and deal with the emotions related to a family member's deployment.- For teens is the DVD "Military Youth Coping with Separation: When Family Members Deploy" in which real teens discuss deployment and various coping mechanisms.
- For elementary age children there is the "Mr. Poe and Friends Discuss Reunion After Deployment" DVD. The animated host, Mr. Poe, mentors and provides guidance to children and Family members as they discuss deployment.
- Both videos are available for online viewing on the American Academy of Pediatrics Deployment Support Web site.
- Click here to order the videos in DVD format through Military One Source or call 1-800-342-9647.
- Click here to view the TRICARE News Release about the DVDs.
- Coping With Their Parents' War
- A Washington Post article about the stress multiple deployments put on children of Military Families, and ways to cope. (Opens new window)
- More Resources for Military Children Affected by Deployment
- When parents are deployed, this can place a great amount of stress on children.
The attached document provides an extensive list of resources (books, kits, DVDs, and
web sites) targeted at helping children and parents cope during deployment.
- Click here to download Resources for Military Children Affected by Deployment (PDF 25KB).
- The Sesame Street Experience for Military Families
 Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street,
and the USO (United Service Organizations) partnered to bring "The Sesame Street
Experience for Military Families" to 43 military installations across the country
this fall! The Sesame Street Experience was produced in conjunction with Sesame
Workshop’s Talk, Listen, Connect initiative, a military outreach program that
aims to help children cope with the absence – and homecoming – of a deployed
parent or loved one. If you missed-out on the show, many of the topics Elmo
and his friends discussed and sang about can be found on the Talk, Listen,
Connect DVD series, which tells the story of Elmo dealing with his father having to leave home.- To download and watch the videos, or for more information on
"The Sesame Street Experience for Military Families" or Talk, Listen, Connect, visit
http://archive.sesameworkshop.org/tlc/ (Opens new window).
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