Hampton Roads business leaders, stakeholders address child care gaps: ‘It’s going to take all of us’

When Anna James worked as policy director for then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe, she always answered calls from her 2-year-old’s day care, even during meetings with the governor.

“Every mom knows that, oh my gosh, something’s wrong,” James said. “You’re like, ‘Excuse me governor, I need to take this call.’”

James shared this experience as a panelist at an executive briefing on the economics of child care in Hampton Roads. The discussion highlighted the importance and challenges of accessible, affordable and quality early childhood education and services.

“We know that someone who has a good start in life through early childhood education has a successful life,” said James, now senior vice president for government and community relations at Sentara Healthcare.

The invitation-only event on May 21 drew over 100 business and community leaders, local and state legislators and federal legislative representatives. It was hosted by the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable and Minus 9 to 5, a community coalition at Eastern Virginia Medical School that is focused on early childhood. The program aimed to educate attendees on these issues and encourage advocacy for policies and funding to support early childhood, said Jane Elyce Glasgow, executive director of Minus 9 to 5.

A recent survey of Virginia employers revealed that 76% said child care availability affects recruitment and retention, Glasgow said. She noted that despite state lawmakers recently passing a biennial budget that includes “historic investments in early childhood” totaling $1.1 billion, a child care workforce crisis persists.

The pandemic forced many parents, especially mothers, to leave the workforce due to a lack of available child care, she said. Many families, particularly those with infants or toddlers, remain on long waiting lists, she said.

Without dependable care, employees can’t get to work or must reduce their hours, affecting productivity and profits, Glasgow said.

“Many of our local businesses feel the impact daily. Our military feels the impact daily,” she said.

Before the panel, pediatrician Dr. Natasha Sriraman emphasized the critical nature of the first five years of a child’s life. Ensuring access to high-quality early learning environments is crucial for development, she said.

“So, whether it’s in health care, the military sector, government, or businesses, we have to invest early and often in early childhood,” said Sriraman, an attending physician at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters and associate professor of pediatrics at EVMS.

Sriraman, a mother of three, suggested measures like paid family leave, on-site daycare at workplaces, flexible work schedules and universal pre-kindergarten to help reduce disparities.

Nancy Grden, president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, highlighted the business implications of inadequate child care resources, noting that it significantly affects the ability to attract and retain talent.

“Businesses right now are challenged generally with getting the kinds of talent they need,” Grden said.

Child care and other “fundamentals of life,” such as housing, transportation and education, are becoming increasingly critical to companies as they consider where to locate, she said. Grden also noted that the child care industry struggles with issues such as low wages.

“The business of child care actually needs a reframing,” she said. “The economics just don’t work.”

The event included a panel discussion moderated by Glasgow, where strategies to address early childhood needs were shared.

Rick Dwyer, executive director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, pointed out that on-base child development centers cannot meet the demand. Joint Base Langley-Eustis, for example, has over 500 children on a waitlist for child care, the largest in the Air Force, he said, while about 2,000 children in Navy families throughout Hampton Roads are on waiting lists.

Dwyer noted that the lack of convenient child care can drive parents to leave the military, especially when service members are stationed far from family who might be able to help.

Tara Ramsey, president and CEO of Instant Systems Inc., a medical equipment manufacturer, said child care stress affects productivity and company performance as employees worried about child care struggle to focus on their jobs. Her company supports employees by offering 30 paid days off a year and paying above the living wage.

Ramsey said she doesn’t want her grandchildren to experience the “mom guilt that we feel when the phone rings and we have to decide, ‘Am I going to go and deal with the sick child or am I going to stay here at work?’”

Whitney Lester, senior director of talent development for the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, said affordable, quality child care is an intrinsic part of recruiting talent.

“The problem has become so exacerbated — we have to deal with it,” he said, adding that no amount of marketing will bring employers and employees to the region if the issue isn’t addressed.

Throughout the discussion, a consensus emerged on the necessity for sustained effort and collaboration to address child care gaps.

“It’s going to take all of us,” James said.