CHARLESTON AFB, S.C. –
Two Charleston AFB child care providers recently earned national accreditation from the National Association for Family Child Care.
Lyvonnia Hyche and Sandy Borgerding are both providers for Charleston AFB. There are only four nationally accredited family child care providers in the state of South Carolina and Charleston AFB has two of them.
The NAFCC is a non-profit national membership organization working with more than 400 state and local family child care provider associations across the U.S.
The quality standards for the NAFCC accreditation address five content areas: relationships, the environment, developmental learning activities, safety and health, and professional and business practices. By meeting the quality standards for family child care, providers deliver child care that is high-quality and appropriate for young children.
Mrs. Borgerding and Mrs. Hyche are very active with the base family child care providers. They both help plan group activities that are fun for the children. They also help with events to promote the family child care program, said Sherian Vickers, Charleston AFB family child care coordinator.
Accreditation supports NAFCC's missions of strengthening the profession of family child care by promoting high-quality, professional, early care and education and by strengthening communities where providers live and work.
Mrs. Hyche received her accreditation Nov. 7 and has been in the child care profession for 16 years. She cares for children ranging from birth through school age. In addition, she is the extended child care provider for the base who helps families out with child care during temporary additional duty hours. Mrs. Hyche said she chose child care as a profession because she loves helping to mold the minds of little children.
"The children are our future and it is my calling to make sure they have great foundation when their parents have to work," said Mrs. Hyche. "I am blessed to be able to stay home with my own children while they are young."
Mrs. Borgerding received her accreditation Dec. 15 and has been in the child care profession for 20 years. She cares for children ranging from birth through school age as well. Her schedule is flexible to meet the needs of parents. She provides many different learning opportunities for the children including field trips to local attractions such as the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry, the fire department and the pumpkin patch. Mrs. Borgerding said she chose to become accredited to share with parents what quality child care should be in a home setting.
"I enjoy providing child care in my home because I am able to work with young Airmen and help them to nurture their children as they grow and develop," said Borgerding.
"Having two nationally accredited providers at Charleston AFB is a great honor," said Mrs. Vickers. "The professionalism and expertise in child care that Mrs. Hyche and Mrs. Borgerding exhibit on a daily basis show their love for children. Achieving accreditation confirms their dedication to providing the best care possible for children and, in turn, supporting the mission each day. It also shows the high quality of care that is found in our family child care homes. I am very proud of what they have accomplished."