West Virginia
Working families in West Virginia need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in West Virginia. But too many working families in West Virginia are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the West Virginia economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
There are 109K children ages 5 and under in West Virginia – 56% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.
The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in West Virginia is around $10,000.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 27% of eligible families in West Virginia. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)
On average, child care providers in West Virginia earn just $22,060 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.
West Virginia’s economy loses $464M annually due to child care challenges.
West Virginia: In The Headlines
‘If they don’t have child care, they can’t work’: Parents and providers share stories of the struggle for child care
Mountain State Spotlight | October 17, 2025
Across the state, long waitlists are forcing parents into impossible choices, with some even leaving the workforce. Meanwhile, child care centers are struggling with demand.
Child care is still a big challenge in West Virginia
Williamson Daily News | aUGUST 29, 2025
West Virginia continues to be woefully short on child care: multiple counties don’t have a single child care provider, and other counties have limited spots.
Daycare funding instability deeply concerning to Mountain State parents
WOAY | oCTOBER 5, 2025
With recent developments, including a change to the state’s billing policy and uncertainty surrounding federal funding, they are seriously concerned about the risk of the industry being devastated.
West Virginia Resources & News
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