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Child Care
Frequently Asked Questions
Child Care
Child Care 1. What is GSA's Child Care Program? As the Federal Government's landlord we provide space and services for child care centers in Federal Buildings. We have more than 110 child care centers operating in 31 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, serving a national enrollment of almost 8,000 children. The centers are independently operated and services and fees vary from center to center. More centers are planned. Our Child Care Program enables families of Federal employees to receive high-quality child care in centers within our managed space throughout the United States. The Office of Child Care, within the Public Buildings Service, oversees the program. The Office of Child Care's staff and Regional Child Care Coordinators throughout the country also offer guidance to our customers. 2. How does GSA have the authority to provide this service? Title 40 of the United States Code, Section 590 (formerly 490b), as amended, gives us the authority to establish child care centers. This section of the code, known as the Trible Amendment, requires that at least 50% of the children enrolled in a center be children or dependents of Federal employees. The remaining enrollment is open to the general public, but Federal employees always have priority. 3. How does GSA promote quality child care? We believe a quality early childhood program will meet the needs of the children and adults in the program. A quality program promotes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of the children everyday. To help guide this quality effort we require that all centers become accredited by a national independent organization. The National Academy of Early Childhood Programs is the accrediting body for all centers operating in space under GSA's control. The Academy is a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Accreditation requires that a program's administrators, staff, and parents evaluate their program and make improvements. Once these are made NAEYC visits and reviews the program for standards of program quality. Accreditation examines key areas of an early childhood program:
4. How safe are GSA's child care programs? We consider safety a key to planning, designing, locating, and operating our child care centers. Our designs for space and playgrounds meet or exceed standards in GSA's Child Care Center Design Guide and applicable state and local building codes. All staff meet the requirement for criminal history employee background checks under section 231 of Public Law 101-647, Crime Control Act of 1990. 5. How does GSA's Child Care Program work? We work with Federal agencies and non-profit boards of directors to establish child care centers where there is a demonstrated need. We help the boards to select high-quality child care providers to operate within our space. We take advantage of the best available child care resources in local communities and use formal licensing agreements to establish the conditions for use of government space and services to provide child care for our employees. 6. What does the GSA Office of Child Care provide? Through our network of child care professionals, we provide the tools to ensure quality programs, including start-up materials; guidance on center designs, health, and safety; and program reviews. Provide information and other technical guidance and oversee development and operations throughout the life of your child care center. Offer resources to governing boards, organizing committees, Federal agencies, child care providers, and staff. 7. How does GSA determine the need for a child care center? We gather information by surveying employees to determine the expected population, the size of the center, the ages of children needing care and the hours of operation and types of services people want. We also survey the market the child care services and tuition costs already available. We compile the surveys' results into a study that also considers use rates and acceptable size for a center. If there is sufficient employee need, agency support and appropriate space, we plan a child care center. 8. What is a Federal Agency's responsibility for a child care center? Federal Agencies' pay us Rent for the child care space. They may also provide phone lines, office equipment, and other equipment defined in the Trible Amendment (40 U.S.C. 590 (formerly 490b) ) The agency can designate its rebate from recycling to support the tuition assistance program and it may support its employees by giving them official time to serve on the board of directors. Agency employees can help with marketing and fundraising to support the center. 9. As a single tenant in a building, how do I get a child care center? Call us to help evaluate the feasibility of a successful center. We'll discuss converting some of your existing space or finding new space. In addition, you need commitment from your agency's top managers because they're the key to providing money for development and overall continuing support. You then form an organizing committee that works with our Child Care Coordinator to establish a center. 10. As a tenant in a multi-tenant building, how do I get a child care center? Call us to discuss the feasibility of a center and the need to get a commitment from each tenant's top mangers, so everyone agrees they want a child care center. In addition, make sure the tenants are willing to pay Rent, provide personnel for the organizing committee and board of directors, and commit money and time to training these people. At this point we'll help you form the organizing committee and put together the rest of the pieces to establish a child care center for your Federal community. 11. May I work with other agencies to sponsor a child care center? Yes. If you jointly want to sponsor a center, you need to work with the sponsoring agencies to develop common understandings documented by a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU signed by the agencies, shows how you'll share in developing and supporting the center. This memorandum should establish priorities for board participation and enrollment. 12. Who locates and evaluates space for a child care center? We find, design and build out the space for child care centers according to the GSA Child Care Center Design Guide (PBS-P140 revised June 1998). 13. Who provides building services to the child care center? Unless the center operates in a delegated space, GSA provides cleaning, utilities, and security systems based on recommendations from our security survey and analysis. In delegated space, if the delegation agreement requires it, this agency provides the above services for the center. As a delegated agency, they maintain a child care center as part of the agreement to operate and maintain the building. 14. Who buys equipment for the child care center? We furnish and equip the center to the extent allowed in the Trible Amendment (40 U.S.C. 590 (formerly 490b)), including repair and replacement items. In a single-tenant or delegated space, the agency may have this responsibility if the delegation agreement requires it. 15. Why is GSA involved with the child care center in delegated buildings? Title 40 U.S.C., Section 590 (formerly 490b) requires us to oversee and help child care centers in space we control, including delegated buildings. We've established consistent standards for all centers. A delegated agency agrees to manage its building's daily operations according to our standards. 16. Who renovates child care centers? In non-delegated space, we renovate these centers. In delegated space, the delegation agreement determines who handles repairs, but delegated agencies usually do all minor repairs to maintain a continuously safe environment. Examples are repairing door hinges or replacing frayed carpet. 17. Who operates child care centers? Boards of directors or private providers provide child care services for the families. They use Federal space to operate the child care center under a revocable License agreement, which includes terms and requirements for using our space and for providing quality child care. We don't directly manage any centers in GSA-controlled space. Because section 590 (formerly 490b) doesn't authorize direct management, an agency would have to determine that it has the specific statutory authority and resources to directly manage a child care center. 18. What is a board of directors and what kinds of people should it include? The board of directors is a local, voluntary, not-for-profit organization incorporated in its State to govern a child care center. Federal employees and people from outside the Federal community can be board members, but the best-working boards Are of a manageable size-between seven and eleven members. Have representatives with expertise in several key areas-administration, finance, fundraising, and child development or early childhood education. Have members with a long-term commitment to the center. 19. What does a Parent Advisory Committee do? This committee provides information for parents and the center, raises money, and provides volunteers. A committee representative typically serves as a liaison for the parents by serving on the board of directors or working directly with a federal agency. 20. What must the child care provider do? The child care provider: Operates a high-quality child development program. Markets the program. The board of directors helps by easing access to electronic mail, employee newsletters, and activities. Obtains and maintains liability insurance for the center. Hires and trains the staff. Sets tuition rates and collects tuition. 21. May anyone instruct the board or provider to require a certain curriculum? Centers follow NAEYC guidelines on appropriate curriculum to become accredited by NAEYC under the signed licensing agreement with us. The search committee or the board of directors may discuss curriculum with the agency prior to the selection of the provider. 22. How much do parents pay for child care? Parents pay fees to cover tuition for care in the centers. Tuition rates vary according to geographic location, services offered, hours of care, size of the center, and other criteria. 23. How can parents get help with tuition? We require each board or center to have a tuition-assistance program, so the help varies from center to center depending on the available money. 24. Can a Federal Agency use appropriated funds to subsidize tuition costs? Yes, Public Law 106-58, the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, FY 2000, section 643 authorizes the use of appropriated funds to help pay the child care costs for lower income Federal employees. The Office of Personnel Management has issued regulations and guidance on this. Check their web site at: http://www.opm.gov 25. Can child care centers fundraise on Federal property? A child care center, through its board of directors or parent organization (if incorporated and certified as a tax-exempt organization) can conduct a wide range of fundraising activities on and off Federal property. The Office of Personnel Management has issued a clarifying memorandum "Special Solicitations for Child Care Centers located at Federal Installations" allowing fundraising activities outside of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). You can seek additional guidance on fundraising from your regional child care coordinator. 26. Where can I get more information? You can go to the Office of Child Care website for a list of contacts, resource materials and a list of centers. 
Last Modified 10/22/2004
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