Access Limited
Virginia’s income requirement for child care subsidies is so low that it falls below the eligibility levels set by 35 other states.
This brief explores one topic: child care subsidies in Virginia. It examines who’s eligible and how the state can do better to make child care and school more affordable for working parents in need. It is both a product of the Casey Foundation’s “The High Cost of Being Poor” forums and the seventh installment in a series that shares strategies on advocating for low-income families across America.
Child care subsidies more than pay for themselves. Every $1 invested in child care subsidies generates about $1.50 in economic activity, according to research. Despite this obvious benefit, Virginia serves fewer than 7% of families eligible by federal guidelines.