Agency
Department of Education
 
Board
State Board of Education
 
Guidance Document Change: The purpose of this transmittal is to provide a summary of the revised guidance for the Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP). Policy changes and clarifications in this transmittal fall under the following categories: • Attendance Tracking System Update – Revisions throughout the manual in response to the sunsetting of EPICC/VaECC and removal of associated terms, and guidance. Revisions note the 1 December 2025 implementation of Child Care Program Attendance and Schedule System (PASS) insert updated attendance tracking terms and guidance. • Policy and Process Clarifications – Edits to existing guidance to clarify expectations, provide additional examples, and address specific gaps in guidance. The table below summarizes key policy and process changes in each section of the manual, including whether the change was in response to a mandate from the General Assembly or a policy or process clarification. Note that revisions to wording for clarity, brevity, and consistency have been made throughout the manual and are not highlighted in this table if no other changes were made in a given section
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7/29/26  12:06 am
Commenter: Etheridge Daycare LLC

Strengthening Administrative Support for Approved Home-Based Child Care Providers
 

Supporting Administrative Partnerships Between Approved Homes and Licensed Home-Based Child Care Systems

My name is Anderia Knight, and I am the owner and Childcare Educator Operator (CEO) of an Approved Childhood Development Home operating within U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes, a Virginia Licensed Home-Based Child Care System.

I appreciate the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed Child Care Subsidy Program Guidance Manual.

As an approved provider participating in a Licensed Home-Based Child Care System, I have experienced firsthand the value of having centralized administrative support available to help navigate state requirements and administrative processes. While I remain responsible for operating my child care program and complying with Child Care Subsidy Program requirements, I depend on my licensed system for technical assistance, guidance, and administrative support so that I can focus on providing high-quality care for children and families.

In reviewing the proposed Guidance Manual, I believe it would be beneficial to more clearly recognize the role of Licensed Home-Based Child Care Systems established under Article 3 of Chapter 14.1 of Title 22.1 of the Code of Virginia (§§ 22.1-289.010 through 22.1-289.019) and regulated under 8VAC20-810. Licensed systems provide ongoing oversight and centralized administrative services to approved member homes, yet the Guidance Manual provides very little information about how these systems interact with the Child Care Subsidy Program.

Greater clarity would benefit providers by reducing uncertainty regarding communication with the Department, provider enrollment, administrative procedures, and other processes where licensed systems routinely provide assistance.

I respectfully recommend that the Department:

  • Recognize the administrative role of Licensed Home-Based Child Care Systems within the Child Care Subsidy Program.
  • Clarify how approved providers may authorize their licensed system to assist with administrative functions while the provider remains responsible for complying with subsidy requirements.
  • Establish clear communication procedures between the Department and Licensed Home-Based Child Care Systems acting on behalf of approved member homes.
  • Provide guidance regarding administrative processes involving provider enrollment, onboarding, and payment administration when a licensed system has been authorized to provide centralized administrative services.

Clarifying these areas would strengthen the partnership between approved providers and Licensed Home-Based Child Care Systems, improve administrative efficiency, reduce confusion, and allow providers to spend more time serving children and families instead of navigating administrative uncertainty.

Thank you for considering my comments and for your continued efforts to strengthen Virginia’s Child Care Subsidy Program.

Respectfully submitted,

Anderia Knight
Childcare Educator Operator (CEO)
Approved Childhood Development Home
Member of U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes
Virginia Licensed Home-Based Child Care System

 

CommentID: 240776