Accessible, affordable, and high-quality early care and learning in North Carolina
Why early education is essential for all
Our early care and learning focus brings together the NC Early Childhood Foundation’s most important research, along with economic studies and policy analyses, to help leaders understand the problem and explore practical solutions for an early care and education system that strengthens children and families, supports businesses, and builds a stronger North Carolina.
Child care and early education is the backbone of North Carolina’s economy
The economy runs on child care. Parents rely on it to work. Businesses rely on it to operate. Children rely on it to learn and grow during the years when brain development is most rapid. Yet today, thousands of families across the state cannot find or afford the care they need and the consequences reach far beyond individual households. According to a 2024 analysis by the NC Chamber Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, inadequate child care access now costs North Carolina $5.65 billion every year in lost productivity, turnover, absenteeism, and reduced tax revenue. These losses are preventable. They are the result of a system stretched far past its limits.
The impacts of accessible, affordable, and high-quality early care on children, families, and the NC economy
Impacts on children
- Early education shapes brain development, social skills, and long-term learning.
- Without stable and high-quality care, children miss critical opportunities.
Impacts on working parents
- Without care, families reduce hours, turn down promotions, or leave the workforce entirely.
Impacts on employers and the state
Without a stable child care and education system,
- Businesses absorb $4.29 billion in losses every year
- State and local governments lose $1.36 billion in tax revenue (2024)
- Inadequate child care access costs North Carolina $5.65 billion every year in lost productivity, turnover, absenteeism, and reduced tax revenue (2024)
Provider challenges
- Low wages, high operating costs, and outdated reimbursement rates threaten early care and education program stability.
Rural and families of color are hit hardest
- Child care deserts and affordability gaps deepen inequities and limit economic mobility.