Dear Editor,

This letter is in response to my recent realization about the lack of affordable child care for residents of the Radford City and Montgomery County area. In addition, there is a lack of options in non-religious, state licensed, and affordable child care. The Radford Child Development is an appropriate option for a parent or parents in Radford City and the town of Radford. This issue is important and needs to be addressed. The Radford Child Development Inc. conducted a needs assessment and found that nine out of ten children in the Radford area do not have access to a state- licensed child care. Attention needs to be brought to the aspect that this center accomplished a needs assessment and produced results that show needs of the Radford area in regards to child care. Also, the Head Start program can be an option that a parent or parents can use for affordable child care.

A solution to this problem would be to expand the locations of the Radford Child Development Inc. We need solutions that assess and address child care needs in the New River Valley. Future concerns about additional needs of the center will be considered. A consideration will be made about the expansion of this program to each county because each area of the New River Valley is uniquely, different.

Sincerely,

Nancy Herbert