“When you lose family child care homes, you’re losing an important piece of that child care fabric,” says Theresa Stacker, executive director, NC Early Childhood Foundation.
Theresa was quoted in this EdNC article on the sharp decline in the number of licensed family child care homes (FCCHs) in North Carolina since the end of federal pandemic stabilization grants. There’s been a 22 percent decline since 2020, with the steepest drop occurring in the past quarter.
While the total number of licensed child care centers has now surpassed pre-pandemic levels, the loss of FCCHs is straining access to infant care and flexible child care options, especially in rural areas and for families working nontraditional hours.
The EdNC article highlights the essential role that home-based providers play in meeting the diverse needs of families. “Family child care homes have been, by far, the leaders of having different available shifts for families,” Theresa says, supporting families in industries like health care, manufacturing, and public safety.