BY THE NUMBERS: COVID-19’S IMPACT ON CHILD CARE

Florida

CHILD CARE IS ESSENTIAL TO
AMERICA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY

• July state-by-state data from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) illustrates the dire circumstances for child care centers and family child care homes in Florida. Of those surveyed:

› 13% of child care programs remained closed, and 41% are certain that, without additional public assistance, they will close permanently.

› Of programs that are open, 95% are serving fewer children now than they were prior to the pandemic. Overall, average enrollment is down by 67%.

› 58% of respondents agree with this state’s guidelines; of those who don’t agree, 11% think they go too far in terms of health and safety regulations and 15% think they don’t go far enough.

› 92% of programs are paying more for cleaning supplies; 67% for staff; and 80% for personal protective equipment.

› Respondents were asked what supports their program received to help it survive. 26 programs said they received the Paycheck Protection Program, including 23 large child care programs and 3 small child care programs. 8 minority-owned businesses are included in these programs.

› 52% of programs responding to the survey have engaged in furlough, pay cuts, or layoffs.

› Assuming they are operating at 80% of capacity or less, 59% of programs responding to the survey expect to close within six months, if they don’t receive additional public support.

• According to the Center for American Progress, 419.633 licensed child care slots are at risk of disappearing, which represents 56% of licensed child care slots

• In March, 111 child care providers in Florida responded to a NAEYC survey reporting that 25% would not survive closing for more than two weeks without significant public investment and support that would allow them to compensate and retain staff, pay rent, and cover other fixed costs.

• A second survey in April with 82 child care providers responding in Florida indicated that 54% of child care programs were completely closed, with another 7% open only for children of essential workers.

› Of providers who are still open, 94% are operating at less than 50% capacity.

› 40% of respondents reported needing to either lay off or furlough employees, or reported being laid off or furloughed themselves. Another 50% anticipated such actions occurring in the next 1-4 weeks.

• Florida received $223.6 million in supplemental funds in the CARES Act to serve the children of front-line and essential workers and support providers yet, we know this is not enough to cover the impacts COVID-19 has had on the child care market and ensure providers will be there when the economy beings to open up. To read more about how your state has allocated its supplemental funding, click here.