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.
West Virginia ranks 2nd nationally in federal child care subsidies
WTAP | January 12, 2026
West Virginia receives the second-highest federal childcare subsidies per child in the nation, while neighboring Ohio falls in the bottom half of states, according to a new study released Monday.
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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2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets
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FFYF Analysis of 2024 State of the State Addresses
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New Grant Reports on PDG B-5 Show the Beneficial Impact of Federal Funds
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New Rural Child Care Policy Framework
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FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
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The First Five Things To Know About: A New Poll Showing Voter Support For Child Care Funding
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The First Five Things To Know About: A New Poll Showing West Virginia Voter Support For Child Care Funding
In July 2023, Public Opinion Strategies completed a poll on behalf of the First Five Years Fund, examining West Virginia voters’ attitudes toward the issue of child care and early …
New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
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How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State
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FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
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West Virginia — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
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The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …
West Virginia: Voter Support for Child Care Rivals Drug Pricing, Climate & Energy in Reconciliation
West Virginians widely support legislation that will lower costs for families, including making child care more affordable. Lowering costs for families is a prime goal for voters right now: nearly …
2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …
West Virginia — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
West Virginia: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
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See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
West Virginia: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
