North Carolina invests in childcare while testing how to sustain family childcare homes

EdNC's updates on early childcare and early literacy

Hello, Early Bird readers! This is Mebane, EdNC’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief. I’ll be taking the lead on Early Bird, which is expanding to include literacy. This year, Amy Rhyne, the former senior director of the Office of Early Learning at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, will be writing for EdNC. You can get to know Amy and read her articles here.

North Carolina has made significant new investments in childcare and early education. But as members of the North Carolina Task Force on Child Care and Early Education gathered earlier this month, much of the conversation centered on how the state can keep some of its smallest childcare programs open.

Licensed family childcare homes — small programs operated at a provider’s residence — have long filled gaps that traditional childcare centers often cannot. During the pandemic, 75-80% of family childcare homes remained open while taking on additional children, according to Dr. Kristi Snuggs, president of Early Years. However, their numbers have been declining for years.

“North Carolina had about 4,500 family childcare homes in 2005. Today, there are just over 1,000,” Snuggs said. The decline began well before the pandemic and has accelerated since federal relief funding ended in March 2025.

The discussion came as task force members celebrated childcare investments included in the new state budget, including funding to establish the state’s first childcare subsidy reimbursement floor and move subsidy reimbursement to 2023 market rates.

“It is literally going to change lives,” said Candace Witherspoon, director of the Division of Child Development and Early Education. “Ninety-six percent of providers are going to see an increase in their reimbursement.” You can read Amy’s full recap of the meeting, and the important discussions happening across the state, here.

Until next time,