NC’s licensed child care providers are on the front lines educating and caring for our state’s most precious asset - its youngest children. Yet they face a workforce crisis, a complex regulatory system, and a difficult financial climate. NCLCCA's ongoing Policy Objectives are:

• Help licensed child care providers address the ongoing workforce/staffing crisis;
  
• Improve financial climate for providers by securing reimbursement increases and tax policy changes; and,
  
• Improve the regulatory climate for licensed child care providers.
  

2025 Policy Priorities

1)  Secure funding for a pilot program to provide tuition grants for full-time child care employees: Help providers recruit and retain the necessary workforce by ensuring that qualified candidates are not prevented from working in child care because they cannot afford care for their own children.

2) Advocate for rates for the Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program that align with the true cost of quality child care and eliminate harmful extreme disparities among counties:
     - Raise rates from the 2021 Market Rate Study to the 2023 Market Rate Study
     - Advocate for cost-modeled rates instead of rates based on flawed market rate methodology.

3)  Enact a property tax exemption for owners of properties used for licensed child care, including Family Child Care Homes. If a lease agreement has the lessee (operator) responsible for property taxes make sure the lessee shares in savings from the exemption.

4)  Advocate for changes in state law and regulations to facilitate “association health plans” to provide a small business health insurance product affordable for most licensed child care providers, to offer as an employee benefit that is affordable for employees.