Child Care services are child-centered, family-focused services that support the family goals of economic self-sufficiency and child development by providing for the supervision, protection, and well-being of the child while the parent is participating in an approved activity, or actively job-searching.

Child Care services are provided for children who are under 13 years of age and reside with a parent or person standing in loco parentis who are working, attending school, job searching, or receiving agency approved education/training or participating in the Virginia Initiative for Education and Work (VIEW) or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment & Training (SNAP E&T).

To apply for services, an applicant must fill out a Child Care Subsidy application which serves as the formal request for child care services. The application can be found online at commonhelp.virginia.gov or by calling the Department of Human Services at (757) 385-3200 for more information. ​​

To search for a child care vendor or for information on becoming a licensed vendor in Virginia, please visit the state website: dss.virginia.gov or  call the Child Care Licensing division at (757) 491-3990.

Becoming a Provider

​​In order to become a licensed family child care home provider, you are required to meet and adhere to state and local standards for child care which include a home study conducted by the Virginia Department of Social Services, child protective services background check, criminal records check, and tuberculin skin test.

All vendors are now required to upload their application or change request along with the required documentation through the online portal, which can be accessed by clicking VDOE’s Becoming a Child Care Subsidy Program Vendorpage for new applications and on VDOE’s Current Child Care Subsidy Vendor page for change requests. Applications or change requests that are not submitted through the online portal will not be processed.

User Guides containing step-by-step instructions for completing and submitting your application are available through the links above.

If you have questions, please contact us at Vendor.Manager@dss.virginia.gov or call (833) 778-0204.