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.
In the fall of 2024, the massive 87,000 square-foot EO Regional Workforce and Child Development Hub opened in Abingdon, Virginia. The complex operates as a Hub-and-Spoke Model where a centralized, high-capacity facility works with a network of community-based providers to expand access, strengthen quality, and improve sustainability across the region.
Little Lions Learning Lab is an early childhood center operated by the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Office of Louisa County Public Schools (LCPS). Created in response to a difficult recruiting environment for teachers and shrinking interest in the field of education among students, the early childhood program provides LCPS staff with access to high-quality child care and serves as a learning space for students who want to explore a career in education.
The Peake Childhood Center (Peake) is a 54-year-old non-profit organization with a mission to provide high-quality affordable child care that prepares children for school. On June 4, 2025, Peake began operating their second child care program in a $20 million state-of-the-art building owned by the City of Newport News, Virigina.
