Kaine Statement on JLARC Report That Finds Majority of Virginia Families Cannot Afford Child Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement regarding a recent report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) that found child care is unaffordable for the majority of Virginia families:

“In every region of Virginia, parents tell me about how difficult it is to find high-quality, affordable child care. This report from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission underscores what I’m hearing and reaffirms that we have to do more to address the child care crisis, which is holding families, workers, and our economy back. I’m going to continue working in Congress to pass my legislation to expand access to child care, raise wages for child care workers so they stay in the field, and extend vital child care funding to help providers keep their doors open. This crisis isn’t going to go away unless we act.”

The report found that in Virginia, child care is unaffordable for 85% of families with infants, 82% of families with toddlers, and 74% of families with preschoolers. For low-income families in Virginia, child care is unaffordable for 98% of families with infants and toddlers and for 97% of families with preschoolers. The report also found that there is a statewide shortage of at least 140,000 child care slots. In Virginia, child care costs surpass 10 percent of median income according to JLARC.

Kaine has championed efforts to expand access to affordable child care, address shortages of early childhood educators, and support child care providers. He introduced the Child Care for Working Families Act to help families afford high-quality child care, cap child care costs at no more than 7% of a family’s income, and raise wages for providers. He introduced the Child Care Stabilization Act to extend vital child care funding that was included in the American Rescue Plan Act to help ensure providers can stay open. Earlier this year, he also cosponsored bipartisan legislation to address shortages of child care and early childhood educators by developing, administering, and evaluating early childhood education apprenticeships.

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