The Childhood Development Homes Authority (CDHA) requires a Certificate of Approval for any individual or entity providing early childhood development, education, and care as an approved Childcare Educator Operator (CEO) within a Childhood Development Home. This approval confirms that each home meets the standards, policies, and quality expectations established by U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes Authority, ensuring consistency, accountability, and public trust across the U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes Association. Serving as the heart of our licensed Family Day System, CDHA brings together a community of dedicated educators, entrepreneurs, and advocates who share a commitment to nurturing Virginia’s youngest learners. Through a collaborative approach, CDHA approves, trains, and supports CEOs in delivering high-quality, home-based childcare within safe, developmentally enriching environments. Grounded in professionalism, compassion, and community service, CDHA embodies the U-LAUNCH philosophy—empowering Virginians to transform their skills into opportunity and their homes into places of learning, growth, and belonging.

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Our Role and Responsibilities

 

The U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes Authority (CDHA)—commonly known as CDHA—plays a vital role in maintaining quality, accountability, and consistency across our association of approved Childhood Development Homes. Through formal system oversight, CDHA:

• Refers children to approved Childhood Development Homes that hold a valid Certificate of Approval

• Provides ongoing training, technical assistance, consultation, inspection, supervision, and monitoring for all Childcare Educator Operators (CEOs) 

• Connects families to available health, early intervention, and social service agencies to support children and caregivers​​

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Compliance and Monitoring

 

In accordance with Virginia Family Day System regulations, CDHA conducts quarterly visits to each approved Childhood Development Home, with a minimum of two unannounced visits per year, to ensure compliance with U-LAUNCH’s Standard Operating Procedures.

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Both U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes Authority and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) reserve the right to conduct unannounced visits at any time to uphold the highest standards of health, safety, and program quality.

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Our Standards and Oversight

 

The Childhood Development Homes Authority (CDHA) requires all providers caring for one to nine children (exclusive of the provider’s own children and any who reside in the home) to obtain a valid Certificate of Approval.

Care may be offered in the provider’s home or in the home of one of the children enrolled, provided that all state and local requirements are met.

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A Childhood Development Home caring for more than four children under the age of two—including the CEO’s own children under six years of age—must receive local zoning approval prior to operation. Homes where all children in care are related to the CEO by blood or marriage are not required to be approved.

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Regional Impact

 

U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes proudly serves as the only Licensed Family Day System operating across the Eastern, Peninsula, Central, and Piedmont regions of Virginia. This distinction reflects our deep commitment to quality oversight, strong community partnerships, and expanding equitable access to high-quality early childhood development and education throughout the Commonwealth.

 

Program Goals and Objectives

 

​The U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes Authority (CDHA) is committed to maintaining licensure as a Family Day System under the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). Our goals and objectives guide daily operations and reflect our dedication to quality, regulatory compliance, and community service.

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Our Goals

• To maintain full licensure as a Family Day System in accordance with all applicable Virginia state standards.

• To support individuals seeking to start a home-based childcare business by guiding them toward approval as a Childcare Educator Operator (CEO) and membership within the Childhood Development Homes Association.

• To ensure that all activities and services provided through U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes promote the well-being, safety, and developmental growth of children from birth through age twelve.

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Our Objectives​

• To refer families with children to our association of approved Childhood Development Homes that meet high standards of care, professionalism, and accountability.

• To provide, through formal contractual agreements, central administrative functions on behalf of Childhood Development Homes, including training coordination, data management, billing, and tuition collection.

• To deliver ongoing technical assistance, consultation, and professional development to applicants, candidates, and active Childhood Development Homes.

• To conduct quarterly inspections, supervision, monitoring, and evaluations of all approved Childhood Development Homes to support continuous quality improvement and ensure regulatory compliance.

• To connect children and families to local health and social service agencies for early intervention and supportive services that promote holistic child development.

 

Together, these goals and objectives ensure that U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes Authority remains a trusted, high-quality system—dedicated to empowering educators, supporting families, and creating safe, developmentally rich home-based learning environments for every child in our care.