Benefits of Approved
Childhood Development Homes

Why Choose an Approved Childhood Development Home?

All parents want to support their child’s health, happiness and development. Choosing an approved childhood development home is an excellent way to do this! An approved childhood development home promotes a safe, fun environment where children can play, learn, and laugh!

Research tells us that 90% of brain development occurs in the first five years of life, and what children experience in these early years (see, hear, smell, taste and feel) shapes their brains. Approved childhood development homes feature enriched experiences that are linked to greater achievement and success in school and in life.

Benefits of Approved Childhood Development Homes:

Impact how children learn, think, develop and behave
Promote social and emotional skills
Encourage curiosity and cultivate a love of learning
Prepare children for school

Choosing an approved childhood development home is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make as a parent. Approving is the first step in quality care. Approved childhood development homes impacts how children learn, think, develop and behave; promotes social and emotional skills; promotes self-esteem and confidence; encourages curiosity and love of learning; prepares children for school; strengthens math and reading skills; and increases probability of attending college.

When you select an approved childcare educator operator in Virginia, you are selecting a qualified professional in the field of early education with a commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for children by demonstrating compliance with regulations.

What is the difference between approved versus licensed?

Approved child day care programs under U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes may only operate within an approved Childhood Development Home. Each approved home receives four inspections annually, including two unannounced visits, conducted by U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes to ensure ongoing compliance with system standards.

Additional inspections may be conducted by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) for homes that participate in the Child Care Subsidy Program. U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes also conducts inspections in response to reported concerns, complaints, or identified violations to protect the safety and well-being of children in care.

All approved Childhood Development Homes must meet established requirements related to background checks, education and training, orientation, and health and safety standards, consistent with Virginia regulations for home-based child care programs.

Licensed child day care programs by Virginia Department of Education are offered in a child day center or in a family day home. They have an initial inspection and two unannounced inspections per year. Additional inspections are conducted as a result of violations and/or complaints. They have requirements for background checks, education, training/orientation, and health and safety standards.

Who conducts inspections?

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) inspects licensed child care programs prior to beginning operations and conducts at least two unannounced inspections each year, as well as additional inspections as needed for program development or in response to complaints.

U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes is a Licensed Family Day Systems under the Virginia Department of Education and is itself inspected by VDOE at least twice annually to ensure ongoing compliance with state regulations.

Childcare programs that operate as Childhood Development Homes approved under the U-LAUNCH system are not individually licensed by the state. Instead, they are regulated and directly inspected by the U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes Authority (CDHA). CDHA conducts quarterly inspections of each approved home, with a minimum of two unannounced visits per year, to ensure compliance with U-LAUNCH’s standard operating policies and procedures.

This layered system of oversight ensures accountability, safety, and quality across all approved Childhood Development Homes while maintaining compliance with Virginia law.

How do I find out about inspection reports or violations?

Subsidy inspection reports for approved Childhood Development Homes that participate in the Child Care Subsidy Program are available on the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) website. To view a subsidy inspection report, families may enter the required program information into the search tool. Once located, the program’s profile will display contact details, assigned inspector, and applicable license or approval information.

Inspection reports are listed with the most recent subsidy inspection displayed first. Each report outlines the areas reviewed during the inspection, any technical assistance provided, and the inspector’s comments. When applicable, reports also include details regarding violations, including the specific standard cited, a description of the violation, and the program’s response or corrective action.

In addition to state-required inspections, U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes conducts inspections in response to reported concerns, complaints, or identified violations to ensure the ongoing safety and well-being of children in care. Copies of U-LAUNCH inspection reports may be requested by contacting a representative of the Childhood Development Homes Authority (CDHA) through our website.

Parents who wish to report a concern regarding a health or safety standard, or individuals who would like to report an allegation of an illegally operating home, may do so by completing the CDHA Online Complaint Form or by calling 571-552-2793.

How can I tell if a childhood development home program is operating illegally?

A childhood development home may have a business license issued by a locality, but a business license is not the same as a Certificate of Approval posted for public view and issued by U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes Authority (CDHA).