Data & Resources
Investing in Child Care & Early Education
The US Chamber of Commerce and the NC Chamber have child care and early education a top priority because it addresses workforce challenges with a two-generation strategy. Quality child care & early education allow parents to take part in the workforce today, and prepares our kids to be the smart, productive workforce of tomorrow.
Immediate & Long-Term Benefits
A 2023 statewide survey of North Carolina voters commissioned by the NC Chamber Foundation shows North Carolinians are experiencing a child care crisis that is hurting families and making it hard for businesses to hire employees and grow. The return on investment for public funding of child care and early education is high, with both immediate, and long-term benefits.
Early education funding benefits families and employers now by allowing parents to work and provide for their children. It also provides children with safe, high-quality environments that enhance their learning and prepare them for Kindergarten.
Early education investments also offer dramatic long-term returns for children: Many research studies demonstrate that high-quality early education leads to higher scores in reading and math during elementary school, higher scores of high school graduation, and later-life benefits including higher incomes, improved health outcomes, and less involvement in the criminal justice system.
Additional Resources
Care and Learning (CandL) Data on Early Care and Education – Report from a listening tour conducted across 13 WNC counties to hear the first-hand concerns and needs of parents, caregivers and child care providers. Conducted in partnership between Dogwood Health Trust and NC Child’s Care and Learning Initiative (CandL)
Early Care & Education in Western North Carolina: An Overview to Better Serve Young Children, Families and Programs – A comprehensive study of the regional Early Care & Education landscape to explore the barriers faced by families and teachers of our region’s youngest learners. Conducted by the Child Care Services Association with support from the Dogwood Health Trust.
2023 North Carolina Child Care Workforce Study — This study delves into the insights of directors, teachers, assistant teachers, and family child care providers, covering every county in the state. Conducted by the Child Care Services Association and supported by funding from the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education.
NC Child Care Supply and Demand Data — Real-time database of child care demand and supply in every county in North Carolina. Created by the Child Care Services Association, this information is provided by the NC Child Care Resource and Referral Council with funding from the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education.
2024 County Data Cards — NC Child’s county data cards & interactive data dashboard provide local snapshots of child well-being. County data cards present the latest data for key indicators in five areas of children’s well-being: A Strong Start, Family Economic Security, Nurturing Homes and Communities, Health and Wellness, and High-Quality Education.
2024 State Fact Sheet – Child Care and Early Learning in NC – Child Care and Early Learning in NC – In-depth fact sheet from the First Five Years Fund on the state of child care funding in NC.