How to Select a High-Quality Child Care Program in Onslow County

July 14, 2023

Child Care Options in Onslow County

Before you start the search, determine what kind of child care program is best for your child. In North Carolina, you have a few different options:

Family Care Homes: Family child care homes are located in the caregiver’s home and they typically provide services for a small group of children. Family caregivers tend to be more flexible and accommodating with hours, so this can be a good option if you have a fluctuating or inconsistent work schedule.
Child Care Centers: Child care centers in Onslow County group children by age and assign them to classroom-style rooms. Child care centers are larger than family care homes and they typically employ several staff members and teachers.
Preschool Programs: If your child turns 3 or 4 by August 31 they’re age-eligible for preschool programs in Onslow County. They are open during the school year for 6.5 hours.
Head Start and Early Head Start: Head Start and Early Head Start are no-cost, federally funded programs designed to promote school readiness in children from low-income families. EHS serves pregnant women and families with children under the age of 3, while Head Start serves children between the ages of 3–5.

Starting Your Child Care Search

Once you’ve decided what type of child care is right for your child, it’s time to start searching for a provider. One Place provides referrals to local child care centers, family child care homes, and other child care programs in Onslow County as part of our Child Care Resource & Referral service. All of our CCR&R services are provided at no cost to parents/families.

To start your search, One Place offers a few options:

Text “Child” to (910) 333-0608.
After texting our referral number, you’ll be prompted to submit an online form. This includes questions like your reasons for seeking child care and your basic information. Once we receive this form, our Resource and Education Specialists will create a customized list of child care facilities in Onslow County that match your needs and preferences. If you have a child under the age of 2 years old, our team can provide an enhanced referral: This means that we will search for programs that match your unique needs, and then we will call the programs directly to confirm available vacancies on your behalf.
Fill out an online request.You can submit an online request for child care through our online form. Click here to access the form. Once this form has been completed, our Resource and Education Specialists will create a customized list of child care facilities in Onslow County that match your needs and preferences.
Stop by the One Place office. If you’d prefer to stop by our office and talk with a member of the CCR&R team, we’re here to help. Visit us at 900 Dennis Road, Jacksonville, NC 28546
Give us a call. You can bypass filling out our online form by calling our team directly. We’ll ask all the questions we need to add you and your child to the system—so we can provide quality resources and referrals to you. Call us at (910) 333-0608.
Start your own search online. If you would like to search on your own, the North Carolina Child Care Resource & Referral Council offers a database of child care programs. You can create an account and access the search to get started. Click here to get started.

If you have any questions along the way, our CCR&R team is here to help. Give us a call at (910) 938-0336 to speak to a member of our team.

Another way to gather information on local child care facilities is by reviewing the North Carolina Official Child Care Search. This resource allows you to filter by facility, permit, ages served, and special requirements. You can also get recommendations from people in your network. We recommend that you ask trusted friends and family, colleagues, or neighbors about their experiences with child care.

Do Your Homework

Licensing Status and Health Reports
By visiting the North Carolina Official Child Care Search, you can view the licensing status of each child care center and verify that their license is up to date. You can also access inspection reports about a child care program’s compliance with health and safety through this search.

Child care programs in North Carolina—whether in a business or a home—are required to be licensed if:

They serve more than 3 unrelated children under the age of 13
They’re open on a regular basis, at least one day per week
They’re open more than four hours but less than 24 hours per day

Why Are Licensed Child Care Programs Important?

When child care programs are regulated by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), the health, safety, and well-being of children is protected. In order to obtain—and maintain—licensing, child care centers must meet a set of basic requirements that address the following:

Staff qualifications and training
Staff-to-child ratios
Health and safety
Space and equipment
Curriculum
Transportation
Program records
Discipline and behavior management

In North Carolina, child care programs are visited at least yearly by the DCDEE for program monitoring. All regulated and licensed programs must maintain a minimum of a 75% compliance rate. Choosing a licensed child care program is an important step to ensuring that your child is as safe, protected, and supported as possible.

Quality Ratings
North Carolina has a star-rated license system that awards child care programs one to five stars, based on state-defined standards. It’s important to note, however, that any starred program meets the minimum licensing requirements—and the star rating is not necessarily a reflection of better quality.

If you are looking at a religious-sponsored child care program and notice it doesn’t have a rating, be aware that these programs only receive a rating if they choose to apply. The absence of a star rating does not indicate the program’s overall level of quality.

Before making a decision about a program based on the star rating, we recommend visiting the program in person and coming to your own decision.

Selecting the Right Child Care Program

Finding the right child care program can sometimes be a stressful, overwhelming experience. There is a lot of information to consider and gather. To guide you through the process, here are some simple steps that can help you make the best choice for your child.

Visit child care programs.
Once you have a list of child care programs that could be a good fit for your child, it’s time to visit the programs in person. Because North Carolina has an open-door policy, child care programs are required to allow visitors during hours of operation.

When you visit, try to talk with the director and the teachers. Consult these checklists from Child Care Aware for relevant, helpful questions to ask during your visit:

After each visit, jot down a few notes on what you liked versus what you didn’t like about the child care program. Once you’ve visited all the programs on your list, then it’s time to make a decision.

Staying Involved and Informed

Once you’ve decided on the right child care program for your family and your child begins attending each day, it’s still important to stay involved and informed. Proactively talk with your child to gain a clearer understanding of what their days are like.

Ask your child what they do during the day
Ask what they think about the caregiver and spend a few minutes each day talking about the caregiver
If your schedule allows, stop by the child care center from time to time and participate in activities
Observe behavior during drop-off and pick-up

Additional Resources

Finding high-quality child care can be stressful and overwhelming. We’ve compiled a few additional resources to aid you in your search:

Searching for the Right Child Care Program, Child Care Aware of America
Choosing Quality Child Care, NCDHHS

Do you have additional questions or need assistance? We’re here to help. Click here for more information about One Place’s child care and referral services.