Addressing Child Care Shortages in Florida

When the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce (Fla.)  convened twelve of the county’s largest employers last July, child care was a major pain point for everyone. Since March 2020, 15 child care centers, which equates to 712 child care slots, closed in Collier County. In neighboring Lee County, 22 child care centers have closed in that same time frame.

For businesses in Florida, lack of access to child care affects their ability to recruit and retain workers. As a result, the Greater Naples Chamber has made early childhood education and child care a local and state legislative priority. From these priorities, the chamber is focusing on three potential solutions to alleviate the child care shortage.

First, the chamber is supporting the expansion of access to high-quality, affordable child care options in Southwest Florida and across the state. The chamber is a member of Florida’s Bosses for Babies initiative,  a network of business leaders who “understand that investing in young children and families is an investment both in their bottom line and in community prosperity.” Currently, only about 50 percent of Florida children starting school for the first time are kindergarten-ready. Supporting quality, affordable early education helps to ensure students are ready to begin kindergarten and won’t spend years catching up to their peers.

Second, the Greater Naples Chamber also supports initiatives that incentivizes child care providers to offer infant care and non-traditional hours. The Collier County teacher and staffing shortage is making it difficult for child care centers to stay open. This is why organizations like Child’s Path are increasing wages to be more competitive. Their minimum wage is $16 - $21 an hour, and they offer full tuition reimbursement for teachers getting their academic credentials and in-service training, along with other benefits.

Lastly, the chamber is supporting initiatives that encourage, promote and incentivize at-home providers to become registered child care providers. Organizations like the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida offer resources for child care providers so they have the support they need to provide quality, comprehensive services to the communities they serve.