Virginia Child Care Mapping Project
Child Care Aware of Virginia's child care mapping project is designed to enable viewers to see the various types of child care programs throughout Virginia. Overlayed with child poverty data (varying shades of red with red shading darkening as poverty levels increase), it is clear that some high poverty areas have few licensed child care programs for families. Alternatively, purple maps offer an overlay related to the percentage of children in working families (e.g., as the purple shade becomes darker, a greater percentage of children have all available parents in the workforce). Each of the maps can be viewed from a statewide perspective or viewers can zoom in to see counties, communities, or neighborhoods. A legend within each map denotes the type of child care (e.g., licensed or voluntarily registered homes, licensed centers, license-exempt care, etc.).
The maps below can be viewed and are interactive (i.e., users can check or uncheck variables they would like to see in the map). Data reflects operating status as of October 2022.
Mapping Quick Tips:
- Click on the map to link to a categorical map that shows programs
- Zoom in to see counties, communities or neighborhoods
- On the left panel, view the legend to see the color coding symbols for types of child care
- On the left panel, click on "content" to check or uncheck various categories
- Poverty levels are reflected with various shades of red (the darkest indicating highest poverty). Children in working families have a purple shade (the darker the purple color, the greater the percentage of children in working families).
- While viewing the map, click on the symbols/colors to see a pop-up box with program details (e.g., infant care, nontraditional hour care, etc.).
- Map loading time may take a few seconds so be patient!
Click here to see licensed and voluntary registered family child care homes in Virginia.
Click here to see licensed child care centers in Virginia.
Licensed and Voluntarily Registered Family Day Homes
Licensed Child Care Centers
All Child Care Programs
Click here to see all child care programs in Virginia. It takes a few minutes for all the variables to load. Visitors may want to unclick all the layer options (types of child care) once the map fully loads, and click on layers as you want to add each to the map. Zoom in to check out your neighborhood!
School-Aged Child Care Programs
Click here to see school-age child care programs in Virginia.
Religious License-Exempt Child Care Programs
Click here to see religious license-exempt child care centers.
Licensed child care centers, licensed preschools, and licensed school-age child care programs involve children under the age of 13 and are offered in a facility that is not the residence of the provider. Background checks are required as well as health and safety standards that are subject to 2 inspections per year.
DoD approved child care centers involve child care programs on federal property. These programs meet standards comparable to state licensing and are overseen by the Department of Defense.
Licensed child care homes involve providers who care for 5 or more unrelated children in their home. Background checks are required as well as health and safety standards that are subject to 2 inspections per year.
Voluntary registered child care homes involve providers who care for up to 4 unrelated children in their home. Background checks are required and providers must complete a self-assessment of compliance using a health and safety checklist.
Northern Virginia (in addition to offering state licensed programs) exercises local authority to regulate small family child care homes – homes where providers care for 4 or fewer unrelated children that operate under a local permit. In addition, northern Virginia houses a family day system (a group of home providers that operate as a network).
Religious license-exempt programs. Child care centers operated by religious institutions may be exempt from licensure if certain documents are submitted to the Virginia Department of Education.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that offers reimbursement for nutritious meals and snacks for participating providers serving low income children.
For additional information see the Virginia Department of Education web site.
Brief Child Care Licensing Definitions
Local Permit and Family Day System (NOVA)
Click here to see home-based providers caring for 4 or fewer children under a local permit in northern Virginia and home-based providers participating in a family day home system.
Child Care Programs Offering Infant & Toddler Care
Child Care Programs Offering Nontraditional Hour Care
Licensed Child Care Programs Accepting Child Care Subsidy Payments
Click here to see child care centers and family child care homes that offer infant and toddler care.
Click here to see child care centers and family child care homes that offer care during nontraditional hours.
Click here to see child care centers and family child care homes that accept care paid for with child care subsidy funding.
Child Care Programs Participating in the Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Click here to see child care centers and family child care homes that participate in CACFP (the federal food program).
Head Start and Early Head Start Programs
Click here to see Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Virginia.
School-age Recreational/Instructional License-Exempt Child Care Programs
Click here to see school-age recreational/ instructional license-exempt child care centers.
May 2024
Parents: Search for Child Care Here!
Home-based Child Care and Head Start Programs in Neighborhoods where Spanish is Spoken at Home
Click here to see child care supply in neighboods where Spanish is spoken at home. As the blue shading becomes darker, the percentage of children in homes where Spanish is spoken at home is greater.
Virginia Preschool Initiative Classrooms
Click here to see Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) classrooms.
Virginia Child Care Home-based Businesses by County
Click here to see VA’s 12,998 sole proprietors in 2021 who are paid to care for children. In contrast, in May 2024, there were 2,369 state and local regulated family day homes subject to health and safety rules to promote the safety of children in care.
