For Families
A dedicated specialist provides families with important considerations when choosing high-quality child care.
Enhanced Referrals
Enhanced Programs For Families
Enhanced Child Care Education and Referral Services include more one-on-one, extended contact with families and include the following:
- Additional educational materials on the importance of quality child care and how it matters to children’s development
- Current, up-to-date vacancy information for selected providers/programs
- Information and assistance with accessing different child care subsidy programs, including:
- Information on eligibility guidelines
- Copies of application(s)
- Assistance completing applications
- Identification of child care providers accepting subsidy vouchers/scholarships
- Referrals to programs willing to provide non-traditional-hour care (care for evenings/nights, weekends, rotating or varying schedules etc.)
- Counselor-assisted visits to high quality child care programs, consisting of coaching and guidance on how to identify a high quality, safe and healthy child care setting (offered in-person on-site or virtually)
- Follow-up with families until care has been selected
- Additional follow-up information on the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits
- Parenting information on assisting children through stressful transitions
- Enhanced referrals to other community-based social services assisting families in financial crisis
Featured
Durham County Enhanced Referral Services
Early Years’ Child Care Education and Enhanced Referral Program helps children arrive at school healthy and ready to succeed by helping them access high quality child care programs which emphasize education and learning, and support all domains of young children’s development.
Families who live in Durham County and are low-income, teen parents, families in transitional or temporary housing, Spanish-speaking, or have a child with an identified special need quality for these enhanced services.
Enhanced Programs For Employers
Enhanced Child Care Services: Empowering Your Employees, Elevating Your Company
We recognize that a thriving workplace values both professional excellence and personal well-being. Child Care Referral Central’s employee-sponsored Enhanced Child Care Education and Referral Services are designed to enhance your company’s family-friendly practices and support your employees in achieving their best.
Boost Productivity: By alleviating child care challenges, you’re promoting a more focused and engaged workforce.
Attract Top Talent: Showcasing your commitment to work-life balance and employee support helps you stand out as an employer of choice.
Enhance Company Culture: Foster a positive environment where employees feel valued and understood.
Tailored Solutions: Our services provide personalized child care options based on individual needs and preferences.
Reduce Stress: Offering reliable child care resources reduces the stress of balancing work and family responsibilities.
Improved Morale: Empower your team with tools to manage their personal and professional lives effectively.
Join Us in Creating a Better Work-Life Balance
By choosing our enhanced child care services, you’re taking a step toward creating a workplace where both employees and your company can flourish. Reach out to us today to start elevating your company culture.
Contact Christy Thalheimer, child care referral director, to discuss integrating these enhanced child care services into your employee benefits package.
Enhanced Child Care Referral Services For City of Raleigh
The CARES Project: Childcare Access Raleigh Expansion Services
Building on the services provided through the Young Child Homelessness Outreach Project, the CARES Project expands intensive child care assistance to eligible City of Raleigh families, including those experiencing financial challenges or housing instability.
Through this project, Child Care Referral Central takes a proactive, hands-on approach to helping families overcome barriers to finding and maintaining child care. In addition to personalized guidance and ongoing support, CARES provides assistance with transportation to child care visits and initial enrollment fees when eligible.
By addressing child care challenges early, the project aims to help families maintain employment, strengthen financial stability, and reduce the risk of housing instability or homelessness.
Families must:
- Live within Raleigh city limits.
- Have a child from birth through age 12 who needs child care.
- Have a household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income, or be experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
Families do not have to be experiencing homelessness to qualify. A Referral Specialist can help determine eligibility.
Families can contact Child Care Referral Central directly to learn more about CARES services. Community partners can also contact our team to refer families who may benefit from additional assistance.
Call: 1-855-327-5933
Email: referral@earlyyearsnc.org
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
With the family’s permission, community partners can share relevant information to help our Referral Specialists coordinate timely, individualized support.
The CARES Project is supported by the City of Raleigh through Community Enhancement Grant (CEG) funding provided by the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
Additional Resources
Young Child Homelessness Outreach Project: Helping Wake County families experiencing homelessness overcome barriers to accessing and maintaining child care.
Through the Young Child Homelessness Outreach Project (YCHOP), Child Care Referral Central provides intensive, individualized support to families experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
Recognizing that these families often face multiple challenges, our Referral Specialists take a hands-on approach that goes beyond traditional child care referrals. This includes working closely with families and community partners to address barriers, navigate financial assistance options, coordinate connections to essential resources, and provide ongoing support throughout the child care search and enrollment process.
Our goal is to make the process less overwhelming for families while helping them access stable child care that supports their children’s development and their family’s well-being.
How to Connect or Refer a Family
Families can contact Child Care Referral Central directly, and community partners can refer families who may benefit from additional support.
Call: 1-855-327-5933
Email: referral@earlyyearsnc.org
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Community partners can contact our team to coordinate a referral and, with the family’s permission, share relevant information to help us provide timely, personalized assistance.
Learn More About the Young Child Homelessness Outreach Project
