Early care and education (ECE) experiences can have positive lasting impacts on children's learning and development. However, there is growing concern that the low wages and high turnover rates common in child care settings compromise quality, and in turn, limit the benefits of ECE.

Alexis Gresham, a single mother to 3-year-old Kenzleigh, recently got a slight pay increase at work — which resulted in her losing access to the Child Care Subsidy Program, the commonwealth's largest state-supported child care program. The monthly cost of Kenzleigh's care is about $1,300, which she said has left their family worse off financially than before her raise. "That's basically another rent payment," Gresham said. "Nobody should fear getting promoted — or a salary increase — for fear of losing a critical safety net." The state Senate's budget proposal includes $3 million to gradually phase out CCSP eligibility for Virginians like Gresham so they don't suddenly lose access to subsidized child care as a result of a pay increase. (The House of Delegates' budget does not include funding for the effort.) The Senate has also proposed $50 million over the next two fiscal years for a pilot program that would incentivize employers to contribute to employees' child care costs. (The House budget includes $25 million for FY27, which runs from July 1–June 30, 2027.)

On Tuesday, February 3, Congress passed—and President Trump signed into law—five full-year FY26 spending bills, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) bill. This package includes increased funding for child care and early education and brought a brief government shutdown to an end. On Tuesday, February 3, Congress passed—and President Trump signed into law—five full-year FY26 spending bills, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) bill. This package includes increased funding for child care and early education and brought a brief government shutdown to an end.

A new resource tool is helping Central Virginia parents narrow the search for affordable childcare. Read more at https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/thrive-birth-to-five-nonprofit-tool-child-care-search/

Nonprofit Thrive Birth to Five has launched Child Care Finder, a new online child care locator designed to help families find quality early learning programs for children from birth to age five.