Gotta Have Childcare | Virginia needs affordable, quality child care

Quality, affordable child care impacts children, families, and our communities.

Virginia’s economy, workforce competitiveness, and ranking as one of the top states for business depend on hardworking families being able to access quality, affordable child care. About two in three Virginia children under age 6 have all available parents in the workforce, which means families rely on child care to go to work. The lack of access and high cost of child care are not just a challenge for Virginia’s working parents but they present a significant constraint on our workforce, economy, quality of life, and democracy – impacting citizens in every neighborhood and locality in the Commonwealth.

Source: VDOE, Access and Affordability Workgroup, Aug. 7, 2026.

The Problem:

What Virginia pays providers for each child — the rate — has not changed since 2022. Providers can’t pay their teachers, teachers leave, and classrooms sit empty.

1 in 3 child care teachers left in 2024–25
1 in 2 parents waiting for a child care slot left a job
Child care costs three to four times what the government considers affordable, in every region of Virginia
4 in 10 children started kindergarten in fall 2025 unprepared to learn

The Solution:

#gottahavechildcare

In the 2027 session, fund child care rates and slots together in the FY28 budget: $234 million to pay providers what care costs now and update rates every two years, plus $173 million for 10,206 more slots for children who already qualify. $407 million, one budget item: a first step toward affordable child care for every Virginia family.

The Facts:

47%

Rise in the Cost of Care Since 2022

What Virginia pays providers for each child has not changed since 2022. The state now pays about half of what care costs.

107,000

Children Who Qualify, With No Slot

Virginia does not fund slots for 6 in 10 children who qualify. Families who qualify are working or in school and earn up to 85% of the state median income.

52%

of Providers Offered Publicly Funded Slots in 2024

From 2021 to 2024, as Virginia raised rates and added slots, the share of providers offering publicly funded child care slots grew from 42% to 52%. When rates and slots grow together, more providers take part.