In January, parents, child care providers, early educators, and community leaders gathered at the Virginia General Assembly for the Virginia Promise Partnership’s Advocacy Day. Their message was clear: access to affordable, high-quality child care is essential to Virginia’s families, workforce, and economy.

Across the Commonwealth — and here in Virginia’s Blue Ridge — families are facing rising costs and limited availability. At the same time, early educators are navigating funding challenges and compensation concerns. These pressures are deeply connected, and their impact extends far beyond individual households.

Bringing Local Voices to the Capitol

Members of United Way of Virginia’s Blue Ridge’s Early Learning Strategies team attended Advocacy Day to ensure lawmakers heard directly from families in our region.

They shared a letter from a local parent describing how Smart2Start provided critical guidance in navigating child care options. With that support, the family was able to remain employed and secure quality early learning for their child.

Stories like this reflect what we see every day: when families can access reliable, affordable care, children benefit — and parents can participate fully in the workforce.

Policy Solutions That Matter

Advocates encouraged legislators to support measures that would establish clearer calculations for funding early childhood care and education programs, as well as proposals to explore employer-supported child care assistance models.

These efforts aim to create more stability in the child care system — for families, providers, and employers alike.

Why This Affects All of Us

As Advocacy Committee member Ryan King recently wrote in Cardinal News, access to quality child care is “a must have, not a nice to have” for economic development. Citing data from a 300-employer survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, the Virginia Chamber Foundation, and the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, King noted that 88% of employers report absenteeism due to child care challenges, 41% have seen employees decline promotions or job offers because they could not secure care, and 34% have experienced employees leaving the workforce entirely.

In Ready Region West, the imbalance is particularly acute. Over the past year, the region lost 1,145 child care seats while demand increased by 791 — leaving roughly two children seeking care for every available spot. Rising costs, often exceeding $10,000–$14,000 per child annually, compound the strain on families and employers alike.

Moving Forward

Solutions require collaboration among policymakers, employers, providers, and community partners. Advocacy ensures that real experiences — like those shared by families in our region — help shape the policies designed to support them.

United Way of Virginia’s Blue Ridge remains committed to strengthening early learning systems so that every child has the opportunity to thrive and every family has the support needed to succeed.

Sources & Further Reading

• King, Ryan. Four Ways to Increase Access to Childcare. Cardinal News. https://cardinalnews.org/2026/01/08/college-official-four-ways-to-increase-access-to-childcare/
• Virginia Promise Partnership. Advocacy Day at the General Assembly. https://vapromisepartnership.org/
• Virginia Mercury. Parents advocate for expanded early childhood care options at the General Assembly. https://virginiamercury.com/2026/01/22/parents-flood-va-general-assembly-to-advocate-more-for-early-childhood-care-options-and-access/
• Virginia Legislative Information System. SB 134; HB 1208; SB 3. https://lis.virginia.gov/