NC governor wants new ideas to make child care available, affordable

Gov. Josh Stein on Monday announced a new child care and early childhood education task force dedicated to tackling North Carolina’s child care crisis.

The task force, co-chaired by Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt (D) and Sen. Jim Burgin (R), will bring together state leaders, families and child care workers to examine policies and solutions with a goal to expand affordable, quality child care.

Stein made the announcement after touring Kate’s Korner, a child care center at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham.

In his visit, Stein highlighted the problems in North Carolina’s child care system, including the fact that there are not enough open child care slots to meet the needs of the state. There is only one one child care slot for every five families in need of care, the governor said, and many expecting families jump on child care waitlists before their children are born to guarantee a slot.

When Vanessa Barnett-Loro wanted to go back to work as a teacher, she said, “All the child care that we looked at were full. They didn’t have any openings.”

The governor said the issue goes beyond accessibility to include affordability.

“Even if they find a slot for child care, they might not be able to afford it,” Stein said.

Stein said the average cost for infant care in North Carolina is $12,000 — more than tuition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The United State Department of Health and Human Services says child care should cost only 7% of a family’s income. But 4 in 5 families have to pay more than that, the governor said.

Although the cost to families is high, child care workers are underpaid, with an average hourly wage of $10.73 paid to North Carolina’s child care workers.

“Because of the low pay we don’t have enough people becoming child care workers,” Stein said.

He held up Kate’s Korner as an example of a provider doing things right.

Owner Kate Goodwin said, “I pay them livable wage, 100% of insurance, we have a four-day work week.”

Stein on Monday announced plans to pay workers more, improve the quality of child care programs and raise child care subsidy rates in rural areas. He also vowed to add 1,000 new preK slots and more summer programming for children headed to kindergarten.

Hunt also spoke, saying many families are going into debt paying for child care, often paying more for preschool than they pay for rent.

She added the cycle is harming North Carolina’s economy and families, with 32% of parents with young children and putting their careers or education on hold.

Stein said, “When we invest in child care, our entire society benefits. Parents can keep working and keep building their careers.”

The task force comes after the governor signed an executive order. Stein expects the task force will complete an early report by June and a longer report by the end of the year.

“Come up with solution, ideas that we can share with the legislature, share with business leaders, to move this issue forward, because it is one that we have to address,” the governor urged.

“There’s a lot of work, but we’re ready for it,” Hunt said.