Data to Support Child Care Planning and Policy Decisions
Users can explore the data statewide or zoom in on specific regions, counties, or neighborhoods. To dig deeper, built-in filters allow users to compare licensed centers, family day homes, and license-exempt care. A legend on each map helps explain the data.
What Data Does the Mapping Project Show?
By combining data on program types, licensed capacity, child poverty, and working families, the maps illustrate child care supply and demand across Virginia. This approach helps identify gaps and opportunities statewide.
How to Use the Interactive Maps
Users can explore the data statewide or zoom in on specific regions, counties, or neighborhoods. Users can compare licensed centers, family day homes, and license-exempt care using filters, with a legend on each map to guide interpretation.
Why This Data Matters
Access to reliable child care data supports informed decision-making at every level. For families, it helps identify available care options. For communities and leaders, it highlights areas where additional investment may be needed. Ultimately, the Mapping Project supports efforts to strengthen child care access and availability across Virginia.
These maps are intended for data and research purposes only and should not be used to search for child care, as they are not regularly updated. To search for current child care options in your area, use the child care search tool.
Using the Child Care Map
- Open the interactive map to view all child care programs in Virginia.
- The map may take a few seconds to fully load.
- Once the map has loaded, deselect all layers to start with a clean view.
- Use the zoom controls to focus on specific counties, communities, or neighborhoods.
- Refer to the left-panel legend to identify child care types and map symbols.
- Review maps showing the percentage of children in working families, where darker shading indicates a higher share of households in which all available parents are working.
- Explore maps displaying child poverty levels, with darker shading representing a higher percentage of children living in or near poverty.
- Select a map symbol or shaded area to view program details and related data.
For detailed descriptions of each licensing type, visit the Child Care Aware of Virginia Providers page.
All Child Care Programs in Virginia
The interactive map provides a statewide view of child care programs in Virginia. It highlights different types of care and key indicators to help policymakers, community partners, and families understand child care availability and demand.
Licensed & Voluntarily Registered Family Day Homes
View licensed and voluntarily registered family child care homes in Virginia.
Local Permit & Family Day System (NOVA)
View Local Permit and Family Day System family day home in Northern Virginia.
Licensed Child Care Centers
View licensed child care centers in Virginia
School-Aged Child Care Programs
View school-age child care programs in Virginia.
License-Exempt School-Age Care Programs
View school-age recreational and instructional license-exempt programs
Child Care Programs Participating in the Child Care Subsidy Program
View child care centers and family child care homes that accept subsidy funding
CACFP – Participating Child Care Programs
View child care centers and family child care homes that participate in CACFP.
Child Care Programs Offering Infant & Toddler Care
View child care centers and family child care homes that offer infant and toddler care.
Child Care Programs Offering Nontraditional Hour Care
View child care centers and family child care homes that offer care for nontraditional schedules.
Preschool Programs in Licensed and License Exempt Care
View preschool programs in licensed and license-exempt care.
Child Care and Preschool Programs Participating in VQB5
View early childhood programs participating in VQB5 by program type
Home-based Child Care and Head Start Programs in Neighborhoods where Spanish is Spoken at Home
View home-based child care and Head Start programs in neighborhoods where Spanish is spoken at home.
Virginia Child Care Home-based Businesses by County
Explore the interactive map of home-based businesses by county. In 2023, Virginia had 12,661 sole proprietors paid to care for children, many of whom operate without state regulation. By contrast, as of May 2025, only about 2,300 state- and locally regulated family day homes were operating under health and safety standards designed to protect children.
Trends in Virginia Regulated Child Care 2019-2025
Explore Trends in Virginia’s Regulated Child Care (2019–2025): View the interactive map tracking changes in the state’s regulated child care system over time.
