Parents have more child care options than ever before, thanks to "Army School Age Programs in Your Neighborhood."

Fort Lewis Child, Youth and School Services has teamed up with two nationally recognized organizations to help ensure time is spent wisely before and after school.

The initiative came in response to a growing number of military families living off post. With statistics showing a peak in crime between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m., it's no wonder more parents are considering after-school programs for their children.

"One of the reasons for starting this is that after-school time - from about 2:30 to 6 p.m. - is time that (children) can get into trouble if they're not supervised," said Barbara Sporcic, CYSS division chief.

Having a place to go also helps keep their parents' lives from being disrupted.

"It takes the Soldier away from duty time," Sporcic said. "We're trying to keep them actively engaged in activities during a time when they could possibly be doing things that aren't so good for them."

In addition to services on post, families living off post have the option to send their children to the YMCA or Boys and Girls Clubs. Both are working directly with CYSS to provide child care services that are fun while giving parents peace of mind.

"The development and motivation behind (ASPYN) is to ensure that there are services in the community that are at the same level and standard as on post," said Diana Comfort, associate executive director of child care for YMCA Tacoma-Pierce County.

"There's a rich partnership between us and (CYSS)," added Carrie Prudente, director of operations for Boys and Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound.

It's a partnership that helps make kids feel like part of the military community, even though they live off post and interact with others with no military background.

"Our director of full-time military outreach plans joint field trips, camps, sports tournaments and other activities on and off post," Prudente said. "He really understands the family component and the real needs military families have."

"Our staff members go through all the same training as the staff on post ... It's a parallel type of program," Comfort said. With ASPYN offering quality, affordability and availability, Comfort said the decision to enroll children should be an easy one.

"Eighty percent of their waking hours are spent out of school, so it's a pretty big gap that makes sense for us to be on top of," Comfort said. "We want to make sure our kids are receiving great experiences and values development during that time."

ASPYN is ideal for families with full-time working parents, or those with a deployed parent.

"It's like a lifeline," Comfort said. "Typical jobs don't go from 9 to 3."

Those who prefer more home-like settings can go through CYSS to find family child care providers in their communities. In addition to being subsidized through the Army, Sporcic said FCC providers off post are receiving training and equipment that will bring them up to accreditation standards.

"I've been to some of the homes, and they really have done a wonderful job," she said. "I've seen the ‘before and the after,' and it's kind of amazing."

As for the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs of America, both offer extended learning that helps encourage personal growth and confidence.

"Our leaders are trained to look at these kids and say, ‘You're incredible! I see something in you,'" Comfort said. "I'm going to pull something out of (them) that maybe doesn't get pulled out of (them) at school."

"We use a cultural framework that all kids are capable of success, no exceptions, and we look for those treasures that are buried in each and every kid," Prudente said.

Parents concerned about transportation or fees have little to worry about. For the YMCA, child care takes place on-site at one of more than 40 elementary schools in the county. Boys and Girls Clubs have transportation available directly from schools to their sites. Both are Army-subsidized.

"Our program for age 13 and up is completely free for Army families," Prudente said. "For the 11 and 12 year olds, it's a sliding scale for which we have a heavy credit for the Army."

"It's accessible to all families," Comfort said.

Parents who would like more detailed information about the programs are encouraged to visit their Web sites or to call the CYSS central registration office at (253) 967-2494.