DANVILLE, Va. – A new potential federal bill aims to help childcare centers increase worker pay through tax credits, potentially covering up to 35% of salary raises for employees in an industry struggling with staffing shortages.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D) unveiled the legislation Monday at Nourishing Young Minds Child Care Center in Danville, where local educators gathered to support the initiative.
“What we’re trying to say is let’s reward those childcare centers that are increasing the pay of those child are workers,” Warner said.
The proposal comes as childcare facilities across Southside Virginia face critical staffing challenges. 51% of Virginia has been designated as a childcare desert, including most of Danville and Southside Virginia.
Dr. W.A. Merritt, Chief Consultant at Nourishing Young Minds, believes the legislation could help attract more qualified staff. “If we’re able to pay professionals to be childcare workers, it’ll only increase everything we try to do,” Merritt said.
The center plans to open 10 new facilities over the next three years, addressing a crucial need in the region.
“That will bring more business to the area, when they have decent childcare, when they have good jobs,” said Kathy Williams-Merritt, co-owner of Nourishing Young Minds. “Families will be able to take care of themselves and that will end that gap of generational poverty.”
Warner expressed optimism about the bill’s prospects for bipartisan support. “I think both parties realize, with as much fighting as there is in Washington, that where we’ve got a huge problem on both childcare and housing and we’ve got to do better on both,” he said.