Find Child Care
Finding the right child care for your child doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Child Care Referral Central (CCRC) offers free, personalized support to connect you with quality options that fit your family’s needs, schedule and budget.
How it Works
You don’t have to figure out child care on your own. Share what matters to your family, including your child’s age, location, schedule and budget, and we’ll help you get started. Our referral specialists offer free, personalized support to help you explore child care options, ask the right questions and feel confident in your choice. Whether you’re searching for the first time or your needs have changed, we’re here to help.
Some families may also qualify for Enhanced Referrals, with additional hands-on support during their search.
Find Child Care
Webinar
Choosing and Using Quality Child Care
Interested in learning more about child care? Watch our webinar! During the session you will learn about:
- What steps to take during your child care search
- North Carolina licensing regulations for child care programs
- What quality child care looks like
- Different financial assistance resources for help paying for child care
- How to access other community resources that are available to support your family
- How Early Years can help you during your child care search
N.C. Counties Served by CCRC
CCRC provides referrals to legally operating, licensed child care programs and school-age programs and camps across 49 counties in North Central and Eastern North Carolina. We help families explore child care options in:
Alamance, Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Davidson, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Sampson, Tyrrell, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne, and Wilson counties.
The Child Care Resource and Referral Services Program at Early Years is funded by federal grants #2501NCCCDD, #2601NCCCDD and 2701NCCCDD totaling $12,000,000 over three years from the DHHS Office Administration for Children and Families/NC DHHS and DCDEE with100% federal funding. The contents are those of the Grantee and may not reflect the official views or policies, nor should be considered an endorsement of the grantor(s) or the U.S. Government.
Additional support for services in the Triangle provided by Durham’s Partnership for Children — a Smart Start Initiative, the Town of Cary, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Options and Regulations
Choosing child care takes time, knowledge, and effort to find the program or caregiver that is right for you and your child. There are many options for child care and early education available in North Carolina. Some are regulated by the state and some are not. Below are definitions of the different child care and early education options available.
Regulated Child Care
Regulated child care in North Carolina means:
- Care for three or more unrelated children under age 13
- Provided by a non-relative
- On a regular basis (at least once a week)
- For more than four hours per day but less than 24 hours
A family child care home is licensed to care for five or fewer preschool-age children, including preschoolers living in that home. In addition, three school-age children may be enrolled.
The provider’s own school-age children are not counted for the purposes of licensure.
A family child care home with a one-star rated license has met minimal health and safety standards. Homes may earn a 2-5 star rated license by voluntarily meeting higher standards.
Family child care homes and small centers located in homes that voluntarily meet additional quality standards may receive accreditation by the National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC).
After a provider completes a self-assessment, a trained validator visits the home to confirm the program meets NAFCC standards, including environment, activities, and developmental goals.
Accredited homes submit annual updates and must re-apply every three years.
Licensing as a center is required when:
- Six or more preschool children are cared for in a home, or
- Three or more children are cared for in a building other than a home.
A center with a one-star rated license has met minimal standards. Centers may earn 2-5 stars by voluntarily meeting higher standards.
Some religious-sponsored programs are exempt from certain regulations but may choose to become licensed voluntarily.
Child care centers that meet additional quality standards can receive accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children..
Part-day preschools may also become accredited. The process involves a center-wide self-study with input from parents and staff.
Accredited programs typically feature:
- More educated staff
- Better child-to-teacher ratios
- Smaller group sizes
- Developmentally appropriate materials
- Greater parent involvement
Re-application is required every three years.
(Also known as “church-exempt”)
Religious-sponsored centers and homes that choose not to be licensed must still:
- Meet minimum child care regulations
- Pass building, fire, and environmental health inspections
These programs receive a Notice of Compliance from the state licensing agency.
Unregulated Care
Some child care arrangements can legally operate without being licensed or routinely monitored by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). Some may be subject to other requirements or oversight.
Examples of care that may not require a child care license include:
- Programs that operate four or fewer hours per day
- Short-term care offered while parents participate in activities on-site, such as at a gym or shopping center
- Care provided in the child’s home or by relatives
- Care provided in an individual’s home for up to two unrelated children
- Programs operated by public schools
- Recreational programs, such as summer camps, that operate for fewer than four consecutive months per year
When considering any care arrangement, ask about supervision, caregiver qualifications, safety practices, and emergency procedures. Our referral specialists can help you understand your options and identify questions to ask.
Half-day preschools offer care and early learning experiences for four or fewer hours per day. Schedules may range from one to five days per week.
Some programs voluntarily earn accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), demonstrating their commitment to quality beyond basic requirements.
Helpful resources:
For help finding a half-day preschool, call Child Care Referral Central at 855-327-5933.
In-home care allows children to receive care in their own home. Families may hire a caregiver directly or arrange services through an agency. Options include:
- Nannies, babysitters, relatives, or other trusted caregivers
- Nanny agencies or temporary care services
- Home health agencies for children who need specialized care
When choosing a caregiver, ask about experience, references, background checks, and CPR and first aid training.
Learn more about in-home child care.
Considering an in-home caregiver? Learn about free and low-cost criminal record searches in North Carolina. Background checks are one part of choosing a caregiver, along with checking references and discussing experience, training, and safety practices. Families can also search the NC Sex Offender Registry and the National Sex Offender Public Website online at no charge.
For more information, call Child Care Referral Central at 855-327-5933.
Other options include before- and after-school programs, summer day camps, intersession or track-out camps, “parents’ morning out” programs, and private schools. Licensing requirements vary, so ask each program about its licensing status, safety practices, staff qualifications, and supervision.
Learn more:
Steps to Finding Child Care
A child may spend over 10,000 hours of their preschool years in child care. A good choice can make those hours safe, fun, and developmentally rewarding.
Whether you’re looking for a center, preschool, family child care home, or school-age program, follow these steps:
1. Begin early
Many programs enroll months ahead or have long waitlists.
2. Call Child Care Referral Central
Speak with a referral specialist about child care quality and standards. Call 855-EARLY-ED (855-327-5933) or search online.
3. Make a list
Write down what’s most important for you and your child.
4. Contact providers
Call the program director or child care home provider to ask about hours of operation, cost, meals, transportation and policies. If you are interested, set up an in-person visit.
5. Visit at least three programs
Visit a minimum of three child care programs and spend at least an hour at each site that you are considering. Ask your questions and use Child Care Referral Central’s child care checklists to look for quality indicators and compare programs. Observe all areas where the children are cared for, including outdoor areas. Look for danger signals that can alert you to problems. Listen to how the family child care provider, director or teachers are interacting with the children.
6. Get references
Ask other parents:
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- Does your child enjoy going here?
- What do you like most or least?
- Is communication about your child’s progress clear?
- Is the provider dependable?
7. Check compliance history
Review the compliance history of each program that you are considering. You can do this by visiting the web site of the N.C. Division of Child Development and Early Education, the agency regulating child care.
8. Stay involved
The work of parents in ensuring a quality child care experience does not stop once a selection has been made. Once you have made your decision, become an involved parent. Volunteer at the program when you can. Drop in and visit your child at various times of the day. All high-quality child care programs welcome and need supportive parents. Parents can also serve as advocates for their own child and other children by monitoring their child’s child care program.
9. Have a backup plan
Inevitably, there will be emergencies at some point during your child care experience. It is wise to plan ahead and have arrangements for care in the event your child care program is closed or your child is sick.
You’ve got this! We’re here to help every step of the way. Give us a call: 855-327-5933
CCRC Referral Policies
Child Care Referral Central does not recommend nor endorse any child care program or provider, and offers information to the community without regard to the age, gender, race, color, religion, national origin, affectional orientation or disability of the service provider or the person seeking information. Counselors do not recommend programs to parents but rather, provide them with referrals so parents are empowered to make their own decisions regarding the best care for their children.
Child Care Central Referral is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of all clients’ personal information and records. All information shared with Child Care Referral Central is kept confidential and is used only to help families find the best care to meet families’ needs.
Child Care Referral Central provides services to clients in a manner that makes them accessible and affordable to all families, regardless of income level. In keeping with this belief, referral services are offered at no charge to families.
