VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – Affordable child care is a concern for many parents, and Virginia Beach City Council is addressing the issue.

On Tuesday afternoon, council members were informed at the town hall about the growing need for childcare.

Dr. Jane Glasgow is the executive director of Minus 9 to 5, which is part of the Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. She began the presentation by saying that her research shows that 40% of kindergarten children in Virginia are not ready for school.

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She even said that high-quality early childhood education correlates with higher graduation rates.

According to Glasgow, the average annual cost of caring for a young child in Virginia Beach is $18,460. Given the shortage of skilled workers, some, including Mayor Bobby Dyer, have spoken of a national crisis.

Mother Tabitha Short from Virginia Beach is looking for a job where she can bring her two children.

“For me as a potential employee, it would simplify my commute and reduce costs,” Short explained.

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“For me, it’s an extreme divide because I want to work in the same place as my children. I know where they are, can spend a lunch break with them or be so much closer in an emergency.”

The YMCA of South Hampton Roads is one place that offers child care to its employees, although there aren’t always spaces available. The vice president says they’ve seen a growing need for care.

“Over the last 18 to 24 months, we’ve seen a real increase in demand for early childhood education,” explained Jamie Childress. He also said they are working to find ways to help.

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“We recognize that there is an increasing demand here locally, here in the city of Virginia Beach, and we are trying everything we can to expand services so that we can help families who need this care. That includes looking at partnerships and looking at ways to expand our footprint to serve more children and attract high-quality staff…” he added.

Glasgow said it was a complex issue but made some suggestions.

“Something like a three-part model where the businesses bring in money, the government brings in money, the parents bring in money…” Glasgow said, adding, “Incentives to open daycare centers and day care centers, potentially incentives and tax breaks to bring child care programs to the city.”

The City Council has not made a decision on the matter, but several members stated that they appreciated the input and would continue discussions.