The wnc health policy initiative discusses How NC's childcare crisis is putting families and businesses between a rock and a hard place.
North Carolina is facing a childcare crisis, with limited access, high costs, and workforce shortages impacting families and the economy. Overall, North Carolina's childcare gap contributes to a $5 billion annual economic loss, affecting workforce participation and local revenue.
And the impacts of Tropical Storm Helene have only worsened that situation, as Western North Carolina’s childcare centers, schools and other providers have either closed or face reduced capacity due to worker shortages, regulatory burdens, and/or damaged structures. All of this has left parents scrambling to find care so they could return to work, deal with the impacts of the storm (including securing new, safe housing or finding a job to replace those lost), attend doctor’s appointments, and otherwise navigate day-to-day life in WNC post-Helene.
Shorter-term solutions such as stabilization grants and public-private partnerships are helping, but long-term investment is needed for sustainable results. Creating a sustainable, affordable and accessible childcare system for all who need it is not just important—it is absolutely essential to keep our healthcare systems, employers, workforce, and economy functioning. Without bold, immediate action to establish effective and lasting solutions, WNC’s recovery from Tropical Storm Helene could falter, threatening both the region’s short- and long-term economic stability and growth.
In this feature piece, produced in conjunction with the Western North Carolina Early Childhood Coalition, WNC HPI’s audio producer Andrew Rainey talks with Greg Borom (WNC Early Childhood Coalition), Susan Rotante (Parent Advocate), Samantha Cole (NC Department of Commerce) and Neil Harrington (NC Child) to explore the past, present and potential future of childcare in Western North Carolina.
Listen on our website via the link above, or at Apple Podcasts or Spotify
To learn more about potential policy solutions to building a sustainable child care solution for North Carolina, visit our accompanying blog post, "Building a Foundation for the Future - Strategies for a Sustainable Childcare Solution in WNC"
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