RICHMOND, Va. -- More than 80% of Virginia families with an infant or toddler cannot afford childcare,according to a new report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC).
The study provides hard data on an issue so many young families in Virginia know all too well.
On a sunny fall day, Norman Ocampo brought his two sons, four-year-old Cruz, and 18-month-old Cam, to Gillies Creek Park in Richmond for some playtime.
"Yeah, I got the day off. [Cruz] is in daycare full time, but you know I try to take advantage before he’s in school Monday through Friday," Ocampo said.
Both Ocampo and his wife work full-time as nurses, and like so many Virginia families, the affordability and accessibility of childcare is a stressor, especially with Cam going to daycare soon.
"Even with dual incomes, it’s going to be a big chunk of our monthly income, paying for both of them, especially with Cam starting in December," he said. "You don’t really have a decision. You kind of have to take the first one that's available. When you find out there’s an opening, you have to give them a decision right there because they’ll give it to the next person. There’s always someone there to take it.”
Released Monday morning, the JLARC report found childcare costs between $100 and $440 per week, per child, on average, totaling anywhere from $6,000 to $22,000 per year.
"In all regions of the state, for most types of child care and for both one-adult and two-adult households, child care costs surpass 10% of the median income," the report said.
"This exceeds what the federal government has deemed affordable, which is child care costs accounting for 7% or less of household income. The costs of infant and toddler care exceed 7% of household income for more than 80% of Virginia families, and the cost of preschool exceeds 7% of household income for 74% of Virginia families."
Moreover, there is a shortage of slots available to families throughout Virginia. JLARC estimates based on needs, Virginia is 140,000 slots short at facilities across the Commonwealth.
"Lack of affordable childcare can be a significant barrier to employment for any family," said Stephanie Papps, who led the study.
Childcare is expensive for providers also because young children require more attention and thus more workers to care for them.
To attempt to address the problem, JLARC said Virginia can expand/streamline its current programs helping families with low income, better incentivize new facilities to open, and fund better pay for childcare workers to help retain them, which is an issue.
Still, an overarching tension exists, as one state lawmaker pointed out
"At the end of the day, it appears the report says it’s a catch-22," said Delegate Bobby Orrock (R). "In order to have more availability, you’re going to have to increase the cost, ergo making it less affordable. So y’alls recommendation is 'good luck.'”
"There’s a significant gap between available funding and funding that is needed to meet family demand for childcare. That became very clear in this report," said Sen. Mamie Lock (D).
Adding another layer to this issue, more than 25,000 families in Virginia may soon lose access to the Virginia childcare subsidy program, which helps qualifying families offset costs.
Virginia expanded the program thanks to federal COVID relief money, but that funding is set to expire next year.
In order to maintain the expansion of the program, state lawmakers would need to foot the bill, which JLARC estimates as $265 million at a minimum.
You can dig deeper into JLARC's findings here.
Ocampo considers his family lucky because they found a spot for childcare and have family nearby to help out when needed.
While nobody seems to know exactly how to fix the childcare affordability/availability quandary, he said young families are left to deal with the other end of the crisis.
"It’s a big stress, monetarily, mentally, but like I said you don’t really get much of a decision," Ocampo said.
State lawmakers said greater federal funding on this issue would be helpful as well.
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