DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET Chapter 1 The Many Faces of School-Age Care Creating a school-age program that “wows” children and supports their needs can seem overwhelming. You might be asking, Where do I start? How do I know what is supposed to be included or excluded? How much is too much? How do I know when the environment is working or not working? How can I do this alone? Never fear, help is here. This book takes you through all the consider- ations that affect your school-age program environment and then lays out a process for creating your environment. This chapter looks at the wide variety of afterschool programs, both in terms of the type of program and the type of space that houses the program. Based on the children and on where your program falls within the spectrum of school-age programs, you can begin to formulate some goals for your environment. Types of Programs The need for accessible and affordable care for school-age children is well documented, but providing afterschool care to meet the needs of families and communities can be challenging. There is no cookie-cutter way to pro- vide school-age care. The National AfterSchool Association’s (NAA) “Code of Ethics” defines afterschool programming as “any organized program provided for children and youth ages 5–18 during a time when they are not in school” (2009). While the NAA does not specifically mention before-school care in its definition, many programs provide care before the school bell rings. Each pro- gram is unique, offering a variety of educational, recreational, and enrichment activities that are based on the needs of the children, families, and commu- nity and on the organization’s mission and goals. Some programs have limited hours. Some operate only on days children are in school. Others operate seven days a week; still others, just on weekends. Some operate only during the summer. Some offer overnight care. COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL 1