The Sunshine Coast Chamber Alliance has weighed in on the workforce-related challenges facing the region, noting that there are multiple challenges.
The comments follow concerns raised by the Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland, that an estimated 200 job vacancies in childcare are having a flow-on impact on staffing levels at countless businesses across the region.
“A shortage of childcare places is an issue for all working parents who need to find quality care for their children while they work and parents need to consider their options well before they need them – but this has also been the case in capital cities and is not just a new phenomenon,” Sunshine Coast Chamber Alliance Chair Wallis Westbrook said.
“Childcare is something that parents, and parents to be, need to plan as much as they plan on where their children will attend school, due to the limited options.”
The Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland also noted that a national shortfall of 10,000 childcare staff would balloon out to 39,000 by January 2023.
Mr Westbrook, however, noted childcare shortages was just one of the challenges affecting local businesses.
“More pressing is the critical skills and worker shortage all organisations are facing,” he said.
“Finding staff is a major impediment to businesses at the moment and, for those that can work, not being able to access childcare just adds another level of pressure to employers already struggling to find staff.
“The ongoing housing and accommodation shortage is contributing to the ability to find staff and, for parents who want to work and run businesses, if they can’t find childcare or housing they will look at other areas to live – and we will have lost this talent forever.
“We need to find solutions quickly; however, with regards to childcare, the safety and welfare of children must always come first so this issue is likely to remain an issue until more centres are approved, built and opened.”
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