Expanding the Early Childhood Business Incubator Program 

State lawmakers are considering legislation expanding childcare educator workforce initiatives and promoting the establishment of more childcare facilities.

Recent legislation provided licenses to seven municipalities to allow nonprofit organizations such as the YWCA and United Way to establish childcare business incubator centers to help educate, train, and certify aspiring educators.

SB 249 expands that initiative, from the seven previously licensed municipalities to an additional 20 across the state, while also allowing more than one license per municipality.

Connecticut currently has 40,000 childcare slots available, but a lack of certified educators has led to long wait lists in urban, suburban, and rural communities.

This issue has had a direct effect on the retention of employees, notably women, as parents are making the difficult decision to leave their jobs to care for their children.

Workforce Impact

With nearly 100,000 job openings in Connecticut, policies addressing the childcare educator shortage are a point of emphasis for the business community.

“Thousands of parents are leaving the workforce to stay home with their children due to the lack of childcare educators throughout the state,” CBIA’s Paul Amarone told members of the legislature’s Commerce Committee March 1.

“Thousands of parents are leaving the workforce to stay home with their children due to the lack of childcare educators.”

CBIA’s Paul Amarone

“Expanding the childcare business incubator program to up to 20 additional municipalities will get more aspiring educators in existing and newly established centers, providing communities with more access to childcare and keeping parents in the workforce.”

SB 249 is one of several bills this session that addressing the affordability and accessibility of childcare throughout the state.

CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima sits on the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Childcare and has been a part of ongoing discussions to address the issue and keep people in the workforce.

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For more information, contact CBIA’s Paul Amarone (860.244.1978).