Child care centers as a 'month-to-month thing'
Early Bird readers, hello again. Newcomers, welcome! If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up here to receive it every two weeks, and join our conversation on issues facing North Carolina’s young children and those who support them. If you’re already a subscriber, please help us reach more people by sharing this with your friends and coworkers interested in early childhood education.
Though we’ve heard consistent anecdotal reports of fragile child care programs struggling to keep their doors open, our state has not seen the kind of mass closures advocates once predicted. (A February 2024 survey estimated about three in ten providers would close eventually without outside financial investment.)
Katie’s latest analysis of the landscape, however, shows a record loss since mid-2023, when EdNC started tracking net changes in the state’s licensed child care. The state has had a net loss of 7% of licensed centers and homes since the start of the pandemic, or 367 programs. Twelve percent of that loss occurred from October to December of 2025.
Another trend in the data sticks out. The net loss has generally been comprised of family child care homes (FCCHs) up until this point. Since February 2020, the number of FCCHs has decreased by 24%, while the number of centers has dropped less than 1%. But in the most recent quarter (October to December 2025), there was a higher net loss in centers (24) than homes (21). This might be an indicator that programs across settings are experiencing exacerbated challenges.
On a webinar at the beginning of February, several child care providers in western North Carolina shared that the inconsistency of federal subsidy funding (which the state then distributes) has made a tough business model nearly untenable.
“There is a lot of uncertainty, and I’ve never felt like this before, that my business was a month-to-month thing, but now it kind of feels that way,” said Mary Moody, owner of Silver Bluff Kids Early Learning Center in Canton.
As always, we are committed to highlighting how people and communities are responding to and alleviating these challenges, including efforts like:
- The early childhood department at McDowell Technical Community College waiving tuition and book fees for early childhood teachers, creating a child care academy to train new teachers at no cost to participants, partnering with the local school district to offer high-quality professional development opportunities for staff in public and private settings, and strengthening its on-campus child development center to serve as a model program for prospective teachers.
- Community colleges across the state providing on-campus care, helping students afford care through grants, strengthening the early childhood workforce, and creating family-friendly campuses and cultures.
- Rural communities and states, from Kansas to Alaska, addressing family child care shortages by reviewing and streamlining regulations, helping new providers become licensed, and improving providers’ compensation.
We hope you’re staying safe and warm. Don’t miss resources and research from across the state and country below. I hope to see you on the road soon.
More from EdNC on early childhood
States tackle the child care shortage in rural America with tangible results
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in The Daily Yonder on Jan. 14, 2026. Across the nation, the consequences of a child care shortage are dire. Women leave the workforce. Young families move away. Employers can’t find enough workers....North Carolina has record net loss of licensed child care programs since mid-2023
North Carolina has had a net loss of 367 licensed child care programs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 12% of those losses occurred in the final quarter of 2025. The net loss of 45 programs in...Playbook | Early childhood program equitable workforce solutions
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series on the intersections of community colleges and child care. Other articles in the series are available here. This article was originally published by McDowell Technical Community College. This playbook includes data on...EdNC’s Hurricane Helene Playbook: Lessons learned from community colleges
Editor’s note: This article is part of EdNC’s playbook on Hurricane Helene. Other articles in the playbook are available here. Cots lined the ground floor of one community college building, sheltering medically fragile residents. On the second floor, an exhausted president,...The big picture for little kids
News & Research
-
Olympic Mom Athletes Lack Child Care and Other Support During the Games - From The 74 Million
-
Coordinating State Early Childhood Governance - From Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center
-
She offers free child care after disasters. It’s a lifeline as families rebuild their lives - From The Hechinger Report
-
Military Families Still Face Child Care Shortages Despite Expansion Plans - From CityView
-
AOC and Warren join forces in high-profile child care push ahead of midterms - From The 19th
-
NYC pre-K teachers want Mamdani to address their pay gap before child care expansion - From Chalkbeat New York
-
When It Comes to Screen Time, Expert Guidance and Family Realities Diverge - From The 74 Million
Taking flight! Opportunities to spread your wings
Early Childhood Leaders Peer Network Series - From The National League of Cities’ Early Childhood Success
Feb. 18 | 2:00 p.m. EST
From the organizer:
“Across the country, cities, towns, and villages are navigating unprecedented challenges, while still working to ensure young children and families have what they need to thrive. In moments like this, local leadership matters more than ever. The National League of Cities’ Early Childhood Success (ECS) team invites municipal leaders to join a four-part peer learning series designed to support cities as they strengthen early childhood systems, learn from one another, and stay connected to what’s emerging nationwide.”
Coming Together to Address Infant & Toddler Homelessness - From Thrive From the Start
March 5 | 2:00 p.m. EST
From the organizer:
“When families have safe, stable housing, safe shelter when they need it, access to high-quality early childhood development programs, and other supports that meet their needs, young children have a strong foundation to grow.
Join us to learn more about the Thrive From the Start network in a one-hour introductory webinar that will cover what the network is all about and provide concrete steps for how you can engage in this work.”
Monthly virtual meetings for western NC early childhood community - From WNC Early Childhood Coalition
Feb. 19 | at 2:00 p.m. ET
From the organizer:
“Join us to connect with early childhood education advocates, hear the latest updates from the state, and learn how to engage in important ECE advocacy in WNC.”
