FORT CARSON, Colo. – New incentives implemented within the last year have helped Fort Carson’s Child and Youth Services (CYS) get more people to apply and boost employment and child care efforts on post.
One of the biggest incentives is a discount for CYS employees to receive child care.
This allows parents employed by CYS at Fort Carson to receive a 100% discount on child care for their first child. For multiple children, there is an additional 15% discount off the regular monthly fee, followed by a 25% discount that is applied to the remaining balance.
Other incentives include commissary privileges, a benefits package for part-time and full-time employees, and CYS will pay for the cost of a Child Development Associates Credential, if the employee chooses to pursue this.
“Employee discounts were championed out of this garrison for all services, not just the Army. A Former Garrison Commander put together a plan and sent it up to say this is how much we would gain if we were to offer a 50% discount to employees on their child care,” said Armanda Hunt, CYS coordinator.
This proved to be successful in bringing more employees on board, according to Hunt.
Through this initiative, direct care staff employment numbers went from 59% to 81%, allowing for 100 plus more child care spaces.
“Family child care (FCC) providers who choose to put their children into facility-based programs are entitled to that employee discount,” said Hunt.
According to Catalina Cole, Fort Carson’s family child care director, several new incentives were also added and are helping to grow the number of FCC providers on post.
These new incentives include bonuses, subsidy increases, a lending library, free training and free child care while providers are being trained.
The lending library allows providers to pick supplies they want to use in their homes to build an environment for the children they serve. Supplies available include books, plates and cups, dolls, puzzles, art supplies and toy instruments.
Noelle Smith, an FCC provider, said being a caregiver is something she has done most of her life.
Smith said one of the benefits of being an FCC provider is that she’s able to be home with her kids, and she gets to play all day.
These FCC incentives have proved to be successful in adding more caregivers along with helping support current providers.
All these incentives that are offered help the FCC providers further expand their care.
“(The change) gives me more options and makes me feel more sure in myself because I know that I have the backup and the support for everything that I need. And then, if I ever feel like something's missing I can just snag it real quick,” said Smith.
While there are nine FCC providers, Hunt describes the short-term goal.
“Our short term goal is to recruit and have providers in every village. Especially in the areas where there are junior enlisted Soldiers,” said Hunt.
According to Cole, child care costs for FCC vary based on parents' income while Child Development Centers start at approximately $291 a month.
For more information about incentives for CYS employees, go to https://carson.armymwr.com/CYS/cys-discount-program.
For more information on becoming an FCC provider, contact Parent Central at 719-526-1101/8220.
Social Sharing