It’s all smiles for the caregiver and charges at a Child Development Home (CDH). CDH providers fill a critical need by furnishing flexible and reliable child care options for Sailors and their families.

CDHs are an alternative to Child Development Centers, said Peggy Harper, director of the CDH Program, which is part of Morale, Welfare and Recreation at NDW.

CDH providers currently operate in Bellevue Housing in Southwest Washington and Woodbridge Run in Virginia. The CDH Program is also available at Indian Head Navy Housing and in certified homes in Maryland and Virginia.

Families often prefer CDHs because they can accommodate small group sizes, a home-like atmosphere and flexible hours of operation, said Harper. CDH providers may offer early morning care, after school care and late night care for active duty Sailors who work after duty hours.

‘‘A provider can have a multi-age group, which consists of an infant, toddler and preschooler,” said the CDH director. ‘‘The maximum number is six. The provider’s children count as part of the six. If a provider has an infant and wants only infants, they can have two other infants.”

To qualify as a CDH provider, a person must at least have a high school diploma, said Harper.

‘‘A big motivator is that they have to be home with their children,” she said. ‘‘They can watch them grow and have their own business.”

Anyone interested in establishing a childcare business in military homes or in off-base privately owned or leased homes must complete an application packet, submit to a medical screening and provide three personal or professional references. They must also have personal and car insurance, undergo extensive background checks and have pets’ vaccinations up to date. Their home will be inspected and Harper will conduct an in-home family interview.

All this is done to ensure that only well-qualified and reliable people are chosen to become CDH providers.

Once an applicant commits to becoming a CDH provider, they must complete a free, 20-hour training program focusing on developmentally appropriate childcare practices, child abuse, cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and discipline techniques. The training enables providers to share information and establish a support network.

After they are certified by the Navy and licensed by the state in which they live, the CDH provider is required to take two hours of training per month and conduct a self-training program for CDH providers at home.

CDH monitors conduct monthly home visits to make certain the provider develops weekly plans that follow the Navy’s Creative Curriculum.

Harper said she and Kristi Gray, CDH monitor, also check on the United States Department of Agriculture-approve food the provider has for the children under their care.

CDH providers negotiate fees for their service with the parents of the children they care for and with guidance from the CDH Program.

Additional CDH providers are always needed, said Harper, as others transfer out of the area.

For more information about the CDH program, contact Peggy Harper at 202-433-6227 or by e-mail at peggy.harper@navy.mil.