For Virginia retailers, attracting and retaining reliable employees is essential to running a successful business. But for many working families, access to affordable, dependable child care remains a significant challenge, affecting employee attendance, scheduling, and workforce retention.
The Virginia Retail Federation recognizes that a strong retail industry depends on a strong workforce. Understanding the challenges employees face outside the workplace, including access to child care, is an important part of identifying solutions that support both businesses and working families.
Foundation First, the lead organization for Ready Region North Central, is inviting local employers to participate in the Virginia Business Roundtable for Early Education (VBREE) initiative. Led statewide by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, VBREE brings business and early childhood partners together to explore child care solutions that strengthen the workforce and local economy.
Share Your Perspective
Through this employer survey, regional partners hope to better understand:
- How child care challenges affect employees and daily business operations.
- What child care supports, if any, businesses currently offer.
- Whether employers are interested in exploring child care solutions alongside regional partners.
Virginia retailers and employers of all sizes are encouraged to participate, regardless of whether they currently offer child care benefits.
Take the Employer Survey by November 13
The survey takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete, and responses will help inform regional priorities and practical solutions that address workforce challenges.
A Survey to Inform Solutions to Virginia’s Labor Shortage – Fill out form
By sharing their experiences, Virginia businesses can help shape conversations about child care access and contribute to solutions that support employees, employers, and the communities they serve.
The Virginia Retail Federation encourages members to lend their voices to this important conversation.