We nurture and educate children and their families.

For nearly 40 years, the Children’s Center has helped children and families in Western Tidewater learn, grow, and thrive. As a nonprofit organization, we offer a continuum of care, from pregnancy through preschool, to support our families during the crucial early childhood years. We view our role as partnering with parents to support the healthy development of their children.

Each year, our programs serve hundreds of children and their families at our childcare centers and through in-home care. Our centers provide inclusive settings where children of all abilities play and learn together. We celebrate the diversity of our Western Tidewater community, knowing that we are stronger together.

We believe parents are their child’s best first teachers. And we know strong early development helps children thrive later in life. So we support families with a holistic range of services, from prenatal care for pregnant moms to comprehensive child care and preschool.

We offer family-centered care to further the health and education of children from infancy to preschool at our centers, in our families’ homes, and in our community. We also provide early intervention and pediatric therapy services for children with developmental delays or disabilities. Some programs are available at no- or low-cost to eligible families.

We know that investing in quality early childhood education can lead to life-changing advantages for children, particularly ones from lower-income families: increased graduation rates, decreased rates of depression and cardiovascular disease, increased rates of employment, among others.

It can also have major implications beyond the individual. Recent research shows that every dollar we put into high-quality birth-to-five programs for disadvantaged children yields an average return of $13 a year (based on increased school and career achievement and a decreased reliance on social and health interventions later in life). Quality early childhood education doesn’t impact children alone—it impacts our society as a whole for generations.

As a nonprofit, we’re guided by a dedicated team of board members and staff who work tirelessly on behalf of the families we serve.

We can’t do it alone. The Children’s Center gratefully relies on federal, state, and local partners for funding, rating, auditing, training, research, and other services. Here is a sampling of our key partners:

The Children’s Center has many opportunities for parents, family members, community members to volunteer! From becoming a Policy Council or Parent Committee member to reading to children in our classrooms, we welcome volunteers year-round! For more information, contact Amanda Daugherty, Family & Community Engagement Coordinator, at 757-538-2523 or complete the inquiry form below!