For the past 31 years, Rosemary Kates has opened her home in Petersburg, Virginia to build a career nurturing and teaching the youngest of learners. She has spent years furthering her education to create a safe learning environment for the infants and toddlers in her care, saying, “I put what I learn into practice, and it really works.”
Mrs. Kates child care journey began in 1995 when she started as a family day home provider. Years later, driven by her passion of caring for children, she opened her own childcare center and ran it for nearly a decade before her heart called her back to the more intimate, personal work of a family day home where she has stayed ever since.
Mrs. Kates loves what she does and is proud of her work with young children. When asked what she is most proud of, she talks about the right now — the ongoing work of sharpening her skills to give children and families the highest quality of care and trust. She’s endlessly fascinated by how quickly children learn at such young ages, and she treasures the moment when a child begins to communicate back to her through a sign, a word, or a simple shift in expression that tells her they understand.
She never walked this path alone. For years, her husband, Pastor Charles Kates was right there with her…not just supporting her business, but truly by her side, often joining her at professional development classes. His belief in her and in the work they built together shaped her success today. Since his passing, Mrs. Kates has leaned on something even deeper: the love of her children and grandchildren, and a faith in God that continues to guide her through the work of caring for others.
And still, she keeps growing. At the start of 2026 Mrs. Kates enrolled in ChildSavers’ Child Development Associate program to further her education. She lights up talking about best practices and new ways to meet the needs of the children in her care. Over the past year, she’s received coaching visits from one of ChildSavers’ child development specialists with funding from the Cameron Foundation, and they’ve been working side by side to strengthen her curriculum and deepen her impact.
Her partnership with ChildSavers has opened other opportunities for her family day home over the years. With guidance and encouragement from our Child Development Services team, she applied for and received grant funding that helped her update a children’s bathroom and build a fence to keep her children safe from unleashed dogs wandering nearby.
Mrs. Kates story is a reminder of what’s possible when dedication meets support. “I don’t feel alone,” she shared, reflecting on the support and coaching she’s received from the ChildSavers team.
After more than 31 years serving children and families in her community, that sense of partnership with like-minded educators has given her the confidence and encouragement to keep growing, learning, and showing up for the children in her care.
