VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Affordable childcare is something many parents struggle with, and it’s a topic that Virginia Beach city leaders are addressing.
Tuesday afternoon inside City Hall, council members were briefed on the growing need for childcare.
Dr. Jane Glasgow is the Executive Director for Minus 9 to 5 which is under the Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. She started the presentation talking about how their research shows 40% of kindergartners in Virginia are not ready for school.
Watch: Virginia lawmakers consider bills aimed at childcare affordability, access
She even said that quality early childhood education correlates to higher graduation rates.
$18,460 is the annual average cost of care for an infant in Virginia Beach, according to Glasgow. With the workforce shortage, some including Mayor Bobby Dyer called this a national crisis.
Virginia Beach Mother Tabitha Short is looking to find a job where she can bring her two children.
“For me as the potential employee, it would streamline my commute, streamline costs,” Short explained.
Watch: Sen. Warner holds round table discussion on child care in Newport News
“It presents an extreme gap for me where I want to work at the same place with my kids – knowing where they are, being able to enjoy a lunch break with them or if an emergency would come up, I would be so much closer.”
The YMCA of South Hampton Roads is one place that offers childcare for its employees, though there may not always be openings at any given location. The vice president says they’ve seen a growing need for care.
“Within the last 18 months to 24 months, we’ve seen a real rise in demand for early childhood,” stated Jamie Childress. He also said they’re working on exploring ways to help.
Watch: Parents struggle to find child care in Hampton Roads
“We recognize there’s a rise in demand locally, here in the city of Virginia Beach, and we’re trying to do everything we can to expand services so we can serve families who need the care. That includes looking at partnerships and ways we can increase our square footage to serve more kids, to attract highly qualified staff...” he added.
Glasgow said it’s a complex issue but did have some suggestions.
“Something like a tri-share model where businesses are putting funds in, the state’s putting funds in, parents are putting funds in…” Glasgow said, adding, “ Incentives for childcare centers to open, family day homes to open, possibly incentives, tax breaks to bring childcare programs into the city.
City council did not make any decisions on the matter but several members stated they appreciated the input and will continue discussions.
