The Economics of Child Care
According to a recent study released by the NC Chamber of Commerce Foundation, gaps in child care are driving parents out of the workforce, reducing tax revenue for the state, and placing incredible financial strains on North Carolina households, particularly among economically vulnerable families. The report estimates how often parents leave the workforce, are absent […]
State examines ratings tool for assessing child care quality
As parents and caregivers of children weigh their options for child care in the aftermath of COVID-19, they often find themselves wondering how scarcity impacts their expectations of quality. One quality-assessment tool in place in North Carolina for more than two decades is the state’s star-rated licensing system. This blog addresses the status of that […]
Increasing the Supply of Child Care: Policy Recommendations
Even amidst growing inflation across the country, child care—arguably one of the most significant financial burdens for families—remains unchanged. Over the past year, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding has provided temporary relief and support for many child care providers. However, when the ARPA funding expires in December 2023, many early childhood educators worry […]
Update: American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds and Early Childhood Education
More than a year ago, the White House announced the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Child Care Stabilization program, a federal aid package designed to enable more than 200,000 child care providers across the country to keep their doors open and serve as many children as possible. As the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) […]
End of Year Blog Recap: 2022
As 2022 comes to end, we’re reflecting on a year of rebuilding and supporting our community. As child care and family support systems have shifted since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, our team has been dedicated to ensuring that families in our community have the best resources and tools to support Onslow County’s […]
Child Care Centers are Closing: Unpacking the Reasons
Since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, child care centers have continued to close at an alarming rate: one-third of all centers have closed and approximately 100,000 workers have left their jobs since February 2020. These percentages are substantial, particularly for families and children in rural or underserved areas who face a growing lack […]
Child Care and COVID-19 in Onslow County- Here’s the Latest
Over the past two years, child care centers across the county have been hit with a myriad of challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. From economic uncertainty and mass child care center closures to continuous staffing challenges and difficulties retaining early childhood educators, COVID-19 has threatened the entire child care ecosystem as we know it. […]
The Impact of Poverty on Child Care
For children living in poverty, receiving high-quality child care can be an enormous challenge. From transportation to lack of awareness about opportunities, children living in poverty often fall behind academically, socially, and emotionally—and this disadvantage can have a lasting impact on their lives. Many of the challenges children in poverty face could be alleviated by […]
COVID-19 Impact Series: The Cost of Child Care in Onslow County and Beyond
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 400,000 parents in North Carolina struggled to find child care. Now, more than one year into the pandemic, families in Onslow County and beyond face astronomical child care costs, growing child care deserts, and difficulty identifying safe and affordable options for their children. Child care is both a […]
The American Rescue Plan and The American Families Plan: How it Impacts Early Educators
For far too long, the child care ecosystem has been overburdened and underfunded—and no one has understood this more than early educators. With the announcement of the American Rescue Plan and the American Families Plan this spring, the future of child care in the United States is getting much-needed attention and investment after decades of […]