Child Development Center

Discover the Coast Guard Academy's Child Development Center, where nurturing meets learning. We provide a safe, educational, and engaging environment for every child. Whether it's their first crawl or preparing for kindergarten, our certified and accredited center ensures they're on the right path.

Child Development Center

The Child Development Center offers many programs to meet the needs of the Coast Guard community, all designed to provide an educational, safe and nurturing environment for children ages six weeks to five years old. Programs are based on the belief that children learn best by doing, and that the best learning occurs through play.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy Child Development Center is a certified Coast Guard Child Development program and is accredited by the…
 National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Our Facility

Eligibility

Our program accepts children on a space available basis, following the priorities listed below.

 

  1.  CG active duty personnel, CG civilian employees (paid from either appropriated or non-appropriated funds), and Public Health Services (PHS) Officers who are on active duty orders to the CG;
  2. Active duty members and civilian employees of the Armed Forces (Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force);
  3. Federal Employees;
  4. Contractors and community members.

 

Within priorities (a) and (b), eligible active duty and civilian employees will be accepted equally based upon their date of application and the following criteria:

 

  1. Single parents whether active duty, civilian, or PHS Officers on active duty orders to the CG.
  2. Dual active duty or married civilian employees (working outside the home) or PHS Officers on active orders to the CG.
  3. Active duty, civilian, and PHS Officers on active duty orders to the CG with a spouse actively seeking employment.
  4. Active duty, civilian, and PHS Officers on active duty orders to the CG with a spouse attending full time school (enrolled a minimum of 6 credit hours for sparing and fall semesters and/or 6 credit hours of summer.

 

Within priorities (c) and (d), applications will be accepted based upon priority and the date of application. Priority (d) applications may be offered services as long as their children do not exceed 50% of available space and eligible federal recipients may have priority over them.

The CG does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, age, disability, color, religion, or national origin.

Programs

Infant Program:
The infant program accommodates 16 infants, from six weeks to twelve months of age. We maintain an adult:child ratio of 1:4 at all times with this age group. A primary caregiver is assigned to each infant to help develop and maintain a secure relationship. We offer a developmentally appropriate infant care program that is designed to meet the individual needs of each child.

Toddler Program:
The toddler program currently accommodates 40 children between the ages of twelve months to three years. Each class maintains a group size of ten children with an adult:child ratio of 1:5.

The toddler program provides a balance between the toddler’s conflicting need for security and independence. The program provides a developmentally appropriate educational setting with a variety of learning opportunities. Toddlers have plenty of opportunity to climb, run, crawl, and move around.

Preschool Program:
The preschool program accommodates up to 40 children between the ages of three and five years. Each class maintains an adult:child ratio of 1:10 with group sizes no more than 20 children.

The CDC offers a well-designed early childhood educational program that strives to meet the needs of every child. The teachers prepare the environment and provide stimulating and challenging activities for the children. The curriculum provides a good base for future academic success and kindergarten readiness.

Meals

The Center provides meals for children according to the guidelines set by the United States Department of Agriculture, and participates in the Connecticut Adult and Child Food Program. Breakfast, lunch and a light afternoon snack are provided. All meals are served family style to help the children develop appropriate social and fine motor skills.

Fees

Coast Guard, Department of Defense, and other Federal Employees pay on a sliding scale, based on their gross household income. The household income definition and categories follow the DOD guidelines for military programs. Fees are set and determined by this local command. Connecticut College families fees are determined by the current market rate.

Waiting List

It is strongly recommended that personnel anticipate their future needs and submit a waiting list form well in advance of the desired date for care.

Your Waiting List Application MUST INCLUDE the following:

Other local childcare programs can be found by calling INFO-LINE, a Connecticut resource and referral service. Call: #211 in Connecticut or 1 (800) 505-1000. www.infoline.org

If you would like to learn more about our program, call  (860) 443-2101 to speak to someone or to schedule a tour.  Our e-mail address is: childevcenter@uscga.edu

Child Care Hours

Monday - Friday

0645 - 1645