Child Care Financial Assistance in North Carolina
North Carolina's Division of Child Development uses a combination of state and federal funds to provide subsidized child care services to eligible families through a locally administered state-supervised voucher system. Annually each county receives a combination of state and federal funding from the Division of Child Development for subsidized child care services. The amount of funding allocated to each county is determined by legislation.
If the county department of social services or other local purchasing agency does not have enough funding to serve all families who apply for subsidized child care, the agency may establish priorities for services. For example, an agency may choose to give priority to working parent(s) or families who need child care to support child protective services.
If a family meets the eligibility criteria, the state of North Carolina pays a portion of the cost of child care. Parents are free to choose a child care arrangement that best fits their needs as long as the provider chosen participates in the Subsidized Child Care Program.
The amount the state pays for child care depends on:
The family's situational criteria
The family's income
The cost of the child care provided
How Does It Work?
North Carolina's Division of Child Development uses a combination of state and federal funds to provide subsidized child care services to eligible families through a locally administered state-supervised voucher system. Annually each county receives a combination of state and federal funding from the Division of Child Development for subsidized child care services. The amount of funding allocated to each county is determined by legislation.
If the county department of social services or other local purchasing agency does not have enough funding to serve all families who apply for subsidized child care, the agency may establish priorities for services. For example, an agency may choose to give priority to working parent(s) or families who need child care to support child protective services.
If a family meets the eligibility criteria, the state of North Carolina pays a portion of the cost of child care. Parents are free to choose a child care arrangement that best fits their needs as long as the provider chosen participates in the Subsidized Child Care Program.
The amount the state pays for child care depends on:
- The family's situational criteria
- The family's income
- The cost of the child care provided
Parents (or the legal guardians) may choose their provider from a variety of types including licensed child care centers, family child care homes, religious-sponsored programs, and informal arrangements such as care by a relative or care in the child's home. In all situations, the provider must be operating legally and must agree to the conditions for the receipt of public funds.
Yes. Smart Start funding also helps parents pay for child care. Contact your local Smart Start Partnership for Children for eligibility information.
Parents may ask their county child care social worker if they desire to change child care providers. To help limit the number of changes, parents are encouraged to carefully consider their options and choose initially the program best suited for their family. If parents discover that a program does not meet the needs of their child, the child care social worker should assist in making the change.