Orange County Child Care Task Force - 11-14-2006, Item 7b

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5 demands of child care. Without available child care,a parent/guardian may be in danger of losing a job or forced to leave a child in less than ideal conditions. For the majority of families there are relatively few options for safe and secure child care. Families may utilize relatives,babysitters,and neighbors,but most tend to seek more permanent solutions in the form of licensed child care homes or centers. COSTS OF PRIVATE CARE There are several types of licensed child care available;the type of care appropriate for one family may not be the best for another. A child care home is licensed to care for five or fewer preschool age children,and an additional three school age children. Licensing as a center is required when six or more children are cared for in a residence or when three or more children are in care in a building other than a residence. Additionally,many schools,both public and private,offer before and after school care. In order to increase the quality of child care in North Carolina,in September 2000,the Division of Child Development issued star rated licenses to all eligible Child Care Centers and Family Child Care Homes.1 The star rated license is a voluntary licensing system where a child care program can earn points in two different areas: • Program Standards • Staff Education Programs that are meeting higher standards can receive recognition for their efforts;and families can use this information to search for a'child care program. The increased focus on quality has led costs to rise sharply in the last fifteen years. In 1991,the average cost for a child to attend private day care was $239. In 2001,monthly child care costs for an infant,the most expensive children to care for,was in the neighborhood of$700. Today,parents can pay over$1100/month for an infant to receive full-time day care. Care for preschool and school-age (part-time) children is less,although it is important to note that in Orange County the monthly cost of child care for all age groups,on average,ranges from S800 to$1,100. These costs put private care out of the reach of most low-and middle-income families. FEDERAL, STATE AND COUNTY SUBSIDY RESOURCES The subsidy programs,offered by all North Carolina counties and financed with public money, are the only hope that low-income families have of securing this quality, costly care. Parents making less than a prescribed income,currently based on 75% of state median income for most funds,and meeting certain eligibility criteria may be eligible for help to pay part of their child care costs. The amount of funding allocated to each county in North Carolina is determined by legislation and is directly affected by the amount of funding in the federal budget. In Orange County the majority of this funding is administered by the Department of Social Services. Child Care Services Association administers 1.8 million dollars for scholarships with funding from Smart Start,UNC,United Way and other funding sources. • If a family meets the eligibility criteria for the Orange County Department of Social Services,a portion of the cost of child care will be paid for them.Parents are free to choose a child care arrangement that best fits their needs as long as the provider chosen participates in the Subsidized Child Care Program. The amount the state pays for child care depends on the family's situational criteria,the family's income,and the cost of the child care provided. (See Attachment B for state 3