PRESS RELEASE: Lynchburg Better Together Candidates Join Early Childhood Education Listening Session
Discussion hosted by the Perriello campaign for Congress highlights access to high-quality childcare and early education, workforce shortages, provider funding, and economic impact.
LYNCHBURG, Va. — Lynchburg Better Together City Council candidates Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall joined early childhood educators, service providers, business leaders, and community stakeholders on August 11 for a listening session focused on early childhood education in Central Virginia.
The session was hosted by the Perriello campaign for Congress at United Way of Central Virginia as part of the campaign’s effort to hear directly from experts across the district. Lynchburg Better Together candidates attended to listen and learn from those working with young children and families in the region.
The conversation highlighted several challenges facing families and providers, including the cost and availability of high-quality childcare and early learning, shortages in the early childhood workforce, limited capacity, and the need for more sustainable funding.
Early childhood education is foundational to children’s development and school readiness. Participants emphasized that high-quality early childhood programs are more than babysitting. The years from birth to five are critical for cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, and strong programs can also help identify developmental delays and connect children and families with needed services before kindergarten.
“Early childhood education affects everything that comes after it,” said Christina Delzingaro. “When children and families have strong support from the beginning, our schools and our entire community are stronger.”
Families are struggling to find and afford high-quality care and early learning. Participants described a “missing middle” of working families who earn too much to qualify for some subsidies but still cannot comfortably afford childcare. Waiting lists, limited regional capacity, and a lack of options during nights, weekends, and early mornings create additional challenges.
“Access to high-quality childcare and early learning has become a workforce issue as much as a family issue,” said Nat Marshall. “If parents cannot find reliable, affordable care, they may not be able to work — and employers feel that impact too.”
Providers are facing serious workforce and funding pressures. Early childhood educators are being asked to meet increasingly complex needs while often receiving compensation that does not reflect the demands of the work. Providers also face rising costs associated with staffing, licensing, training, insurance, facilities, and maintaining the quality standards children need. Participants emphasized that maintaining quality and safety must remain a priority while finding more sustainable ways to fund care.
“We cannot solve the childcare shortage without supporting the people who do this work every day,” said Dave Henderson. “Expanding access means addressing recruitment, retention, compensation, and the real cost of providing quality care.”The discussion also explored the role employers can play in expanding childcare access, including reserving childcare slots, subsidizing employee care, and participating in emerging state and federal incentive programs. Participants emphasized that childcare should be viewed as part of the region’s broader workforce and economic development strategy.
For Lynchburg Better Together candidates, the session reinforced the importance of connecting early childhood education to the city’s larger goals around public education, workforce participation, family stability, and economic development.
“Local government cannot solve every part of the childcare system on its own,” Delzingaro said. “But City Council can help bring families, early childhood educators, childcare providers, employers, schools, and state and federal partners together to expand access while protecting quality.”
The full “What We Heard: Early Childhood Education in Lynchburg” summary is available at: https://www.lynchburgbettertogether.org/what-weve-heard/earlychildhoodeducation
About Lynchburg Better Together
Lynchburg Better Together is supporting Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall for Lynchburg City Council. The campaign is focused on practical, community-centered leadership that strengthens neighborhoods, supports families, invests in public services, and builds a better future for Lynchburg.