Southwest Virginia to Open New Childcare Center amid Local Closures and High Demand

An Earnest Endeavour to Combat the Childcare shortages

Amid reports of local daycare centers shutting down and with a surging demand for credible childcare facilities, Southwest Virginia is taking a step in the right direction. The region is making some noteworthy advancements towards aiding its citizens and mitigating the recent childcare crisis by opening a new state-of-the-art childcare center.

The Impetus behind the New Center

According to a survey, approximately 25,000 children below the age of four are catered by nearly 300 childcare sites across Southwest Virginia. However, Travis Staton, the CEO and President of Endless Opportunities (EO), a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing childcare needs, mentioned in an interaction that the sector still faces significant issues.

“Locally, we see childcare centers and providers that have waitlists four times the amount of children they are serving, coupled with a steady stream of closures and vulnerabilities. It’s a crisis,” asserted Staton.

Addressing the Crisis

In a serious attempt to fight this crisis, EO, along with its partners, is looking forward to opening a sizeable new childcare center in Abingdon this summer. The center will have the capacity to accommodate around 300 children.

Commenting on the upcoming center’s purview, Staton remarked, “This facility will primarily serve Washington County, besides being beneficial for the nearby communities, including those from Russell County, Smyth County, and Bristol.”

Impact of the New Center on Existing Providers

The new center’s opening, while a blessing for many, is also raising concerns among smaller, existing providers. Citing the reasons, Amy Bowie, the owner of ‘Miss Amy’s child care center,’ stated that her center could not compete with the possible pay and benefits scheme that the new center, fueled by considerable state grants, might offer. She disclosed that the new center’s inevitable opening was a contributing factor for her deciding to shut her doorstep after serving the area for over 31 years.

Besides, Bowie confessed that the scarcity of qualified staff and health problems were additional considerable factors encouraging her decision.

A Coordinated Effort for the Children

Addressing the apprehensions, Staton clarified that EO’s prime goal is not to shut anyone down, but to extend care to children in the region. He affirmed his willingness to support existing providers, stating, “We will certainly need to bring in new providers, yet we are intent on supporting the existing providers’ network, ensuring their growth and strength.”

Staton further divulged EO’s extensive contributions to the region since 2021, totaling more than 13 million dollars. These funds were focused on aiding the existing network of childcare providers, including providing back-office services, staff recruitment, and training.

Both organizations – the new center and existing providers – believe that everyone needs to work together to succeed. “Whether it is a small center or a big center, all should be able to survive. And for this to happen, collaboration between existing providers, new providers, local governments, and businesses is crucial as this need is massive,” said Staton.