Buncombe Child Care Providers Face Financial Crisis When State Grants Evaporate in June
Child care providers in Buncombe County are bracing for an impending financial crisis as millions of dollars in state grants are set to expire at the end of June. The loss of the N.C. Child Care Stabilization grants, which were initially intended to help child care providers weather the pandemic, will leave many centers struggling to stay afloat.
According to a survey by the N.C. Child Care Resource and Referral Council, 29% of early child care centers in North Carolina are expected to close when the grants sunset. This could result in a loss of 91,660 slots for children to receive child care statewide. In Buncombe, where 95 child care facilities serve children up to age five, advocates fear that some centers will face closure or reduced services without the support of the grants.
Impacts on Child Care Centers
Jenny Vial, director of Child Care Resources at the Buncombe Partnership for Children, highlighted that the county has already lost about 11% of licensed child care slots since the pandemic began. The grants, which were part of the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, provided a total of $1.3 billion to North Carolina. However, the state’s General Assembly did not approve a proposed $300 million extension of the grants that would have run through 2025.
Since 2021, 87 Buncombe child care providers have received more than $20 million from the program, enabling them to increase workers’ pay, provide bonuses, offer additional training and mental health services, and improve child care facility equipment. Centers such as the Christine W. Avery Learning Center, Verner Center for Early Learning, and the YWCA have been able to raise starting wages and enhance services for both staff and children.
Challenges Faced by Providers
As the grants come to an end, child care providers like Marcia Whitney of Verner Center for Early Learning and CiCi Weston of Christine W. Avery Learning Center anticipate a reduction in staff, leading to classroom closures, fewer available slots, and longer wait times for parents in need of child care. The impact will be felt disproportionately by families of color and low income.
Alissa Rhodes, who runs a child care business out of her Fletcher home, expressed uncertainty about covering the loss of funding that she has been receiving through the grant program. With the grants disappearing, providers will face tough decisions about raising fees, cutting costs, or even closing their doors.
Advocacy and Potential Solutions
Leaders in the child care sector are calling for additional state funding support for early childhood education and pre-K to address the impending crisis. Governor Roy Cooper’s recommended budget includes significant investments in child care and early education, but approval by the General Assembly is crucial to prevent further deterioration of the child care system.
As the clock ticks down to the end of the N.C. Child Care Stabilization grants in June, the future of Buncombe’s child care providers hangs in the balance. Without adequate funding and support, centers are at risk of closure, leaving families struggling to find affordable and reliable child care options.
