Childcare Affordability in West Virginia

Blake Caldwell*, Maja Holmes, Blake Humphrey, Lonnie Long, Department of Public Administration, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506

Field (Broad Category): Public Administration (Behavioral & Social Sciences) 

Student’s Major: Political Science 

The lack of affordable quality childcare in West Virginia is creating many issues for families throughout the mountain state. The purpose of our research was to determine how improved affordability and increased access to childcare helps to improve work rate participation, especially in West Virginia. The research identified barriers to affordable and accessible childcare in West Virginia to reduce obstacles for workforce participation. The research compared federal and state policies regarding childcare, including examining regulatory barriers in state code that make it expensive and difficult to establish and maintain a childcare facility. The research findings highlight that West Virginia does not have the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) in place to receive federal grants to assist in childcare funding, and the state needs to reevaluate the outcomes of current childcare regulations. The research findings provide specific recommendations to revise the regulatory environment to increase access to affordable childcare, with the aim to increase workforce participation rates in the state. This research helps to explain the reasons that childcare is out of reach for many working West Virginia families, with hopes to be able to work to create a regulatory environment to help bridge the affordability gap. 

Funding: West Virginia University 

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course