Free child care assistance in North Carolina.
Find free or low cost child care programs in North Carolina for low-income parents, including single moms or dads. There is help from the government from the DHHS Child Care Subsidy, which is for people with kids who are working or in job training. Get free daycare in North Carolina.
There is help in paying for infant, newborns, teens, pre-K and other age kids. State of North Carolina and federal government funds can assist with paying child care costs with additional assistance provided by your local county or town as well. While the government assistance provided will not usually pay your entire expense, it can assist with costs when in some cases there are a free voucher to pay for all the child care.
Help with daycare from the Division of Child Development and Early Education
This government payment is also known as a subsidy. The state's of NC Division of Child Development oversees the program across the region and also partners with the federal government to provide the grant money to qualified low to moderate income parents. The amount of financial help is established on an annual basis and it can change.
Funding is limited and the county you live in may set priorities for who gets assistance with child care. As just one example, your local social service office may provide support to a working family or parent who needs affordable child care or they may support those who need child protective services.
Other key considerations to whether free child care is offered in NC or a subsidy for partial payment will be the family's total income as well as asset levels. The age of the kid (infant, baby, etc.), the cost of the child care needed, the applicants personal background and situational criteria, and the number of people in the household with also impact the amount of the DHHS Child Care Subsidy. You also need to be working, attending school or some type of job training. Each county has their own funding to allocate.
If after applying for the free service or affordable child care, if it is determined that the family meets the eligibility criteria for assistance, then the the state of North Carolina will pay a portion of the cost of the residents child care to an approved, high quality provider. There is a lot of flexibility with the program as well.
Parents who benefit will be able to choose a child care provider and arrangement of their choice, provided they have been pre-approved. This includes free use of the Child Care Resource & Referral Service (CCR&R) program. So family's are empowered to select the provider that best meets their needs, as long as they are part of the state's Subsidized Child Care Program. Learn more on using CCR&R for affordable daycare.
As indicated, the provider needs to be approved and eligible to participate. So while parents (or legal guardians) may select who they want to use for their day care, there are some restrictions on approvals. However families can select from one or more of the following, including, but not limited to, family homes, licensed child care centers, church or religious-sponsored programs, and informal arrangements as well. This can include care by a relative, friend, or even a grandparent. The provider needs to meet safety standards, be operating legally and they also need to agree to the conditions for the receipt of government funds and subsidies.
The DHHS Child Care Subsidy will also help kids in the Head Start program. Those low-income parents may still benefit from this North Carolina subsidy as well. You will need to do this by relying on both resources. For examples, qualified families with young children or infants that are found to be qualified for Head Start may have their child care subsidized for those parts of the day when Head Start does not operate. During the time frames when they are in the Head Start program, assistance will not be provided.
If and when you are enrolled, you can change your provider. While this is discouraged and conditions will need to be met, it is a possibility. Individuals will need to work with their social worker on this in order to make arrangements. Individuals will need to consider all options before taking this step.
Additional flexibility is provided if you move to a new town or county. Since your current county is responsible for payment of services for that particular family, they need to be involved if someone relocates. Individuals need to be aware that when a family moves to another county within North Carolina, if the subsidy is not funded for the place you are moving to then your assistance could end. Be sure to coordinate closely with your social worker.
Another option for families in North Carolina is Smart Start funding. This is a completely separate resource and it can also help working parents pay for their child care. If you are interested in learning more about this service, you will need to call your county or regional Smart Start Partnership. Call 919-821-7999.
Applying for free or low cost daycare in North Carolina
You will need to contact your county department of social services in order to apply for free child care vouchers. Or call the state DHHS at 919-733-3055. A number of conditions need to be met and other factors will also come into play when applying for free child care or a daycare subsidy.
Related Content From Needhelppayingbills.com
|
