Is your family taking advantage of the free respite care provided by the Army Child, Youth and School Services?

Since October 2008, the Child, Youth and School Services directorate of the Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command – part of Army Installation Management Command – has provided more than a million free respite care hours at garrisons worldwide.

CYS provides free respite 16 hours per child per month for children of Soldiers who are deployed, starting 30 days prior to the deployment and continuing 60 days after.Parents need not be current CYS Services patrons to use deployment-cycle-support respite care – any custodial parent or legal guardian caring for a child of a deployed Soldier or Department of Defense civilian is eligible.Respite care is provided in numerous ways, including: designated Child Development Center spaces; family child care homes; summer camps for school-age children; trained babysitters referred to parents by CYS Services outreach offices; and parent/child play groups.

For more on the Army Family Covenant: http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/10/17/5641-army-leaders-sign-covenant-with-families; about IMCOM-Europe: http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/06/30/23634-covenant-continues-to-provide-for-army-families/?ref=news-europe-img7.