As a parent, you mentally have 100 tabs open at any given time: You don’t want to also have 100 tabs open on your browser as you’re exploring childcare options. But a new tool is fixing that.
Led by Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, nine nonprofits now comprise a powerful statewide network called Ready Regions®, with the mission of bringing coordination, accountability and family engagement together to strengthen early childhood systems across Virginia. Over the course of 2026, each Ready Region® worked with its local Family Council members and childcare providers to help launch a marketplace tool that streamlines the childcare search process.
How to use the childcare marketplace tool
Editor’s Note: While each Ready Region® was able to brand and market this resource to their local families, ultimately families land at the same tool.
Before families even see a list of childcare providers in their area, a parent needs to provide their location (a home or work address, ZIP code or commute start/end points), mode of transportation (driving, walking, transit, biking) and the number and age of children. Once a family searches, they’ll get a map view with a directory of childcare providers.
Basic information is listed for all providers, but some providers may update their profiles to include things like openings, photos, assistance accepted, how to enroll and more. This is especially important for things like financial assistance and accepted subsidies – making the search more transparent for families that use these resources.
The impact of childcare on families
The lack of accessible and affordable care in Virginia costs taxpayers $3.1 billion annually in foregone wages, lost productivity and unrealized tax revenue. In a recent survey conducted in partnership between VECF, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and the Virginia Chamber Foundation, 80% of employers surveyed said childcare challenges hinder hiring and retention, while 85% said productivity suffers as a result.
In short, it is incredibly hard for parents to find quality, affordable childcare that has availability and meets the needs of their family. The childcare marketplace tool is hoping to make this landscape easier to understand and navigate.
“We were really struggling to find consistent childcare that worked for our family,” said Julia Loudy, a mother to an infant in Central Virginia. “Child Care Finder made it easier to see what options were available to us and gave us a starting point when we weren’t sure where to turn. It took some of the stress out of a stressful process.”
Tips for exploring childcare
- Make a list of priorities for your family and make note of the most important factors.
- Think through your daily schedule, commute and mode of transportation. Make a dream plan for drop off and pick up.
- Visit the marketplace tool, search and use the filters to narrow your results.
- Create an account to save results.
- Schedule visits with your favorite providers.
- Start your search when you find out you’re expecting. Some providers have long wait lists, but, if you reach out early, you may be able to claim your dream seat.
Parents need all the help they can get when it comes to finding the best care for their children. Now, let’s collectively close some of those mental tabs and keep all of our childcare research in one place.
If you’re in South Hampton Roads, Western Tidewater or the Eastern Shore, visit Minus9to5.org and click Child Care Connect. If you’re in the lower, middle or upper peninsula, visit FirstSparkVA.org and click Child Care Finder. If you’re in Central Virginia, or along the I-85 and I-95 corridors to the south, visit ThriveB5.org and click Child Care Finder.
