Navy Child and Youth Programs Expand Special Needs Support Across 26 Installations Worldwide

Official Statements

• Commander, Navy Installations Command, November 9: “Washington DC (Nov. 9, 2026) - The Navy is expanding specialized childcare support across 26 installations worldwide through a phased rollout of Special Needs Inclusion Coordinators (SNICs), reinforcing its commitment to ensuring children of all abilities have access to safe, inclusive, high-quality care.

  SNICs are specialized inclusion professionals who work alongside Navy Child and Youth Programs (CYP) staff and military families to support children with developmental, physical, medical, educational, or behavioral needs. They provide hands-on classroom coaching, staff training, and individualized accommodations that strengthen childcare teams' ability to support children of all abilities.

  Building on a pilot program launched in fiscal year 2024 at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story and Naval Base Point Loma, the Navy has authorized 34 SNIC positions for FY27. As of October 2026, 17 coordinators have been onboarded, with additional hiring underway. The initiative is expanding to installations across the continental United States, Hawaii, Guam, Italy, and Japan, with phased implementation expected to continue through FY29.

  "Every Sailor deserves to know their children are safe, supported, and receiving the care they need while they're serving our nation," said Vice Adm. Brad Collins, commander of Navy Installations Command. "By investing in specialized childcare support, we're strengthening our commitment to Navy families and giving our Sailors greater peace of mind to focus on their missions. This is about taking care of our people and strengthening Fleet readiness."

  To ensure consistent implementation across installations, Navy CYP has established a SNIC Working Group to share best practices, refine inclusion standards, and strengthen staff training. A dedicated professional development framework for SNICs is also being developed for release in FY28.

  "Children have different needs, and our childcare professionals need the right tools and expertise to support every child," said Maryann Coutino, director of the Navy Child and Youth Program. "SNICs bring specialized knowledge directly into our classrooms, helping our staff create environments where children of all abilities can learn, grow, and thrive together. Just as importantly, they work closely with parents to ensure families are active partners in their children's care."

  The expansion reflects the Navy's continued investment in Quality of Service, strengthening military families' confidence in the childcare they depend on while enabling Sailors to remain focused on their missions. By providing specialized support and equipping childcare professionals with additional expertise, the Navy is helping ensure children of all abilities have opportunities to thrive.

  Military families seeking information about inclusion support should contact their local CYP or email ContactNavyCYP@us.navy.mil.

  Commander, Navy Installations Command is responsible for worldwide U.S. Navy Shore installation management, designing and developing integrated solutions for sustainment and development of Navy shore infrastructure as well as quality of life programs. CNIC oversees 10 Navy regions, 71 installations, and more than 63,000 employees who are focused on warfighting and manning, training and equipping the Shore to fight and win. Navy installations are warfighting platforms essential to every fleet operation.”