The hiring freeze that was imposed on the federal government had a larger impact on Fort Knox than not being able to hire individuals in open positions. For parents on the installation that meant they would have to possibly find alternative care for their children. But that will change Monday when the hourly care program reopens at the Fort Knox Child Development Center.
The part-day program will resume June 5 as five-day part-day summer camps from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday.
Rayceil Oggs, the chief of Fort Knox Child, Youth and School Services, said enrollment for part-day summer camps is now open and available through mcc.com.
Thirty-eight Families from the part day and 48 Families from the hourly care program were impacted by the freeze.
"When Fort Knox schools are out there (isn't) a need for part day since they only have two or three more weeks," said Oggs about part-day becoming part-day summer camps. "We said (we would prepare) for summer camps. In the summer we go to part-day summer camps."
Oggs pointed out that's different during the school year because the part day program has two-day and three-day programs. The programs are open Tuesday and Thursday for the two day and Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the three day.
Existing staffing shortages and the initial hiring freeze were the reasons the hourly and part-day program had to be suspended beginning Feb. 17.
A hiring exemption was granted Feb. 23.
But Stephanie Parris, the director of the Fort Knox CDC, said part of the challenge has been solved because the exemption allowed them to hire 22 new workers for the CDC. During last week's Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation job fair at the Saber & Quill Parris said there were 12 tentative job offers for the CDC.
"The 22 we have on board now … have to be trained," explained Oggs. "They receive 40 hours of training and observations so that we can put them into a room (to make sure we have the correct) ratio, and that generally takes 3 � weeks."
"With the 34 staff at this time we literally only have seven in ratio," Parris said.
Oggs pointed out that equates to the seven workers who were moved from hourly care when the program was suspended and those workers will be moved to full-day ratios. She said once they regroup those seven workers will return to hourly care.
Although CYS was impacted by the hiring freeze, Oggs said she believes the largest impact was at the CDC. The school-age center was also impacted because they weren't allowed to enroll new children and those names had to go on the wait list.
"Soldiers were coming in for child care and we could not give it to them," Oggs said.
Even though there was a waiting list at the CDC and SAC, Parris pointed out that hourly care did not have a wait list because that care is done as needed.
"There would be a wait list for the three-day (program)," said Parris. "Our two-day program was always well in numbers because most parents want the three-day part-day program. Once we met our maximum number of 30, you may have a wait list. But we found (parents) would go ahead and settle for the two day, look at hourly care or a full-day slot."
Although the CDC has been able to hire workers to fill open positions, Oggs said this has been a challenging time for the CDC staff because they truly make a connection with the children and their parents.
"It was very difficult for us to realize that we were going to have to temporarily suspend services for hourly care and part day," said Oggs. "What people see are numbers or spaces (but) my child development staff see faces, they see faces of these parents and they want to be there for these Families. They could not and that was very hurting and emotional. We are glad to get more staffing so that we can service our community."
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