Child Care is the Foundation of Virginia’s Economy. A statewide survey of hundreds of employers showed thatthe lack of affordable, quality child care options is not just anissue for families—it’s a problem for businesses too.
Employers have a unique stake in ensuring affordable, stable child care for their employees and the workforce of their community. Depending on the capacity of employers, there are various models for employer engagement in child care.
Co-location leverages economies of scale and shared costs with new developments to integrate into spaces that are shared with other purposes. It is most efficient when building child care into new developments from the start – integrating it from day one.
Repurposing means finding hidden capacity – space that exists but isn’t being used to its full potential – and converting it for child care. It is flexible and reactive to an existing need.
Child care friendly regulations streamline approval processes, reduce costs, and eliminate unnecessary barriers while maintaining health and safety standards. The goal is to make it easier for providers to open or expand and to reduce the costs they incur prior to opening, helping families access care faster and more consistently.
Treating child care as regional infrastructure means integrating child care development into long-range planning processes alongside transportation, housing, and economic development. It is a proactive, systems approach that coordinates regulatory alignment, facility development, and funding strategies to build lasting supply.
