Child care costs, availability keep some parents out of workforce. Jacksonville wants to change that

The cost and availability of child care are major concerns for many Jacksonville residents, and the Mayor’s Office has launched a task force to address the issue. The Child Care Solutions Task Force met for the first time Wednesday afternoon at City Hall as the members took a deeper look at the problem. According to city research, families in Jacksonville pay an average of $9,516 a year for child care — the second highest rate among major cities in Florida.