NRGRDA releases survey to examine the impact of child care on businesses in WV

BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) is launching the West Virginia Child Care Economic Impact Survey to examine the impacts of child care in relation to current and prospective business in the area.

The survey is a partnership between NRGRDA and the West Virginia Association of Regional Councils and additional support from the WV Economic Development Council.

The goal of the survey is to gather valuable data to determine how the availability of childcare impacts workforce participation, employee retention, and overall business productivity. Childcare is a growing priority for existing and new businesses throughout the Mountain State. We want to support the decisions made by the Governor, state agencies, and the Legislature with real-time data around the issue.

Jina Belcher | Executive Director, NRGRDA

Belcher notes that information collected within the survey will underline needs and concerns of businesses in terms of childcare so targeted solutions can be developed that support the workforce and growth of the economy in the Mountain State.

Child care funding is facing a looming cliff with pandemic-area funding ending soon. These surveys will help assess and convey the extent to which West Virginia businesses encounter hurdles to child care and also highlight any concerns that prospective businesses looking to branch into the area may have.

Jina Belcher

Belcher states that the survey will remain open until the beginning of the legislative session. Information gathered from the effort is open to sharing amongst state and federal agencies that wish to use it within their decision making processes.

There are many facets to the child care dilemma facing West Virginia and the nation. We developed the survey instrument as a means for providing current, real-time data to policymakers in the forefront of making decisions that will have both short- and long-term impacts on business and economic development leaders, parents, and children.

Jina Belcher

The survey can be found by visiting this link . For more information regarding the NRGRDA’s survey and child care goals, click here .

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