More than 100 NC child care centers have closed in past year, highlighting ongoing funding crisis

More than 100 child care centers have closed in the past year across North Carolina.

In the last two months, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services [NCDHHS] data shows there are 16 child care centers that have closed in the state.

Eshawney Gaston is a Durham resident and am other of two children. Finding child care has been difficult for Gaston.

“Garbage,” she said. “It’s been horrible.”

Gaston said it’s the high costs and lack of options. She said it costs close to what she pays in rent.

“We need funding so we can keep child care,” Gaston said.

NCDHHS data shows the number of child care costs in the state has been on the decline for years.

It’s a trend that’s led to major protests at the General Assembly this year, as the industry faced the end of pandemic-era federal funding totaling $300 million in North Carolina.

That money ran out at the end of June.

The General Assembly did provide an additional $67.5 million to hold centers over - about three-fourths of what the federal government was providing.

“It makes a difference,” said Emma Biggs, the director of Pathway Preschool Center in Charlotte. “It definitely gives us a cushion.”

Biggs said the two months that centers were waiting on those funds were tough.

“I’ve been talking to my colleagues and a lot of us have been struggling,” Biggs said. “[We’ve asked], ‘Have you heard when the money is coming down? do you know when the money is coming down?’”

Biggs says the state funding has given them time, but with that money set to run out in December, she says the industry is facing yet another cliff that could cost North Carolina families.

“We need to be able to bring in qualified staff, and to retain the ones that we have,” Biggs said.

The General Assembly will be back in session later this year on Oct. 9.

Gov. Roy Cooper has urged lawmakers to take action on this issue when they return to session.