Rockbridge faces a childcare crisis with limited facilities and a growing waitlist, impacting local families and the economy, as efforts to address the issue are underway through community surveys and discussions.

Starting at the end of September, the Calfee Community and Cultural Center will be open and crawling with kids.

New River Community Action is helping to bridge the gap in the New River Valley, making preschool available to over 300 kids.

Leaders in Southside are working to address access to childcare.

Senator Tim Kaine (D) is pushing for funding for affordable childcare.

Afforable options for childcare in Southwest Virginia.

Childcare is not affordable to most Virginians, according to information presented during the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s meeting on Monday

Federal funding given to childcare facilities during the pandemic is coming to a close at the end of September.

Shades of Blue was created by a woman who experienced a traumatic birth.

Jennings said most of his barbers are single fathers or share custody, so just about every day you can find nearly two dozen kids around the shop.

On Wednesday, Virginia lawmakers paid a visit to Roanoke to visit TAP’s Raleigh Court Head Start Center.

The tragedy in Texas might be the time for you and your children to have a better understanding the grieving process -- and signs you should look out for.

The new facility will serve 48 kids and includes six classrooms, a playground and a kitchen.

The open house is scheduled for Feb. 28 from 4:30 to 6:30PM at the Central Church of Christ in Bedford.

The United Way of Southwest Virginia is pushing for a development initiative called Ready SWVA to help the workforce recover after the pandemic.

Communities across the country are dealing with a shortage of childcare.

They’re seeing an increase for need during the pandemic -- impacting families and businesses. The surveys are available through Oct. 29.

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine says he’s crafting legislation to promote better outcomes for young people, more education and workforce training.

That’s because, according to Crews, the closest childcare facility is about 30 miles away. “That’s not just hard on the parents, it’s hard on the children to have to get up and be ready that early in the morning. It’s a partnership between Campbell County Public Schools, Lynchburg Community Action Group, and Smart Beginnings of Central Virginia which is part of United Way. AdSmart Beginnings received a $1.25 million grant from the commonwealth’s Early Childhood Foundation to reach underserved parts of the region. Gerin Martin, early childhood coordinator for Campbell County schools, says the new center is five years in the making, and it’s vital for children ages three and four to have a social experience.

ROANOKE, Va – A new group is working to make child care more accessible in Virginia. On Friday, members of the Back to Work Virginia task force announced the Virginia Promise Partnership, which will work to make child care in the commonwealth affordable to anyone who may need it. “We know our early childhood system has been hit harder than most, that’s why the governor and the General Assembly acted quickly with our Office of Early Childhood to direct over $150 million in federal emergency funding to keep thousands of programs, open,” First Lady of Virginia Pam Northam said. The coalition has a goal of providing quality and affordable childcare by the year 2030.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. Theres a new website available to help people locally with child care. Several organizations in Martinsville and Henry County collaborated to create it. Along with information about available child care programs, it has information about feeding programs and information to help small businesses and nonprofits. Philip Wenkstern, the executive director of the Martinsville-Henry County United Way, said one popular feature is the application for child care subsidies. The Martinsville-Henry County United Way is one of the organizations that helped create the site.

When you’re on the hunt for a new nanny or babysitter, it can be incredibly stressful.

BLACKSBURG, Va. Were going to see an uptick in these rates, said parent Andi Golusky, sharing her childcare concerns with United States Sen. Tim Kaine. On Friday though, the lack of it in the New River Valley was a big focus of a modified roundtable with Kaine. Kaine wants to make childcare programs a priority in the new coronavirus relief bill that lawmakers will be working on. Childcare was short before COVID, its really a crisis now.His hope is for legislation to be ready by Aug. 5. Theres a whole lot of concerns in the NRV for all kinds of families because of this situation, Golusky said.