FORT CARSON, Colo. — Child care workers on Fort Carson will receive a significant pay bump in the next few weeks.
Child and Youth Services (CYS) leaders recently announced the measure, which will equal a 9% pay increase for all direct child care employees in CYS at the Mountain Post.
“This is a two-fold benefit to Fort Carson,” said Armanda Hunt, coordinator, CYS. “We want to reward our staff members, who have been steadfast and loyal for the past 18 months, and we want to be competitive with employers outside of the gates.”
Hunt said the CYS leadership team and U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson command staff have been studying child care programs on post for the past 18 months. When DOD leaders announced a servicewide pay increase of 48 cents per hour for child care providers earlier this year, Fort Carson leaders recognized an opportunity to enhance employee compensation locally.
“We took out our pay-setting guide and determined that a 48-cent per hour hike just wasn’t commensurate with the level of duties nor comparable with salaries for similar positions off post,” Hunt said.
Starting July 22, 2021, CYS direct child care workers at the Mountain Post will incur a substantial pay hike. Entry level workers will earn $15 per hour, while skilled workers will take home $16.38 per hour, target-level workers get a bump to $18.40 per hour and lead child and youth program assistants will earn $19.96 an hour.
“Our Fort Carson Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR) CYS team provides an invaluable service to Soldiers and families in support of their mission readiness and quality of life,” said Michael O’Donnell, director, DFMWR. “Their commitment and ability to adapt and overcome throughout the pandemic have been truly remarkable. Recognizing the importance of that service, and continuously assessing how we improve upon our recruitment and retention strategies is critical to our long-term success. Maintaining competitive pay is one significant part of that strategy and having received command approval to implement these pay increases significantly improves our ability to attract and retain the highest quality personnel.”
This is a significant development for the Mountain Post. Fort Carson CYS operates multiple facilities — six child development centers, two school-age (before and after school care), a middle school and teen center and a parent central services facility. In all, CYS employs 372 workers and hopes to attract up to its guided allotment of 581 workers.
Direct child care workers care for children from 6 weeks to 18 years old. While some prefer to specialize in specific age groups, Hunt said many opt to move between age groups to make themselves more marketable.
Potential employees must pass a background check, provide three references and hold a high school diploma, though exceptions can be made for those who are 17 and are seeking a diploma. CYS also participates in a transfer program that allows spouses or other employees to transfer to another garrison while keeping their current pay rate and employment category.
“CYS offers tremendous employment opportunities, from entry level through senior leadership; provides deliberate, sequential and progressive training and development along the way; and affords those with longer-term career aspirations in child and youth development a life-long journey,” O’Donnell said. “We can’t thank our CYS professionals enough for the dedication, hard work and passion they bring to work every day, and are thrilled to be able to recognize and appreciate them for the positive difference they make in the lives of our Soldiers and Families.”
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