What is the NC DHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education website?

Updated

ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov is the official information site of the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), part of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS). It serves parents, early educators, and child care providers who need information about licensing, financial assistance, background checks, and the NC Pre-K program. The site is a reference and navigation resource, not an online application or payment portal. A notice on the page states the division "has moved," so current content may now live elsewhere on NC.Gov.

Who the site is for

The site organizes information around three main audiences:

  • Parents and families — finding child care, checking whether you qualify for financial assistance, and learning how to apply.
  • Child care providers and facilities — licensing requirements, the Star Rated License, annual license fees, and compliance training.
  • Early educators and workforce — education standards, the Early Educator Support (EES) program, and workforce reporting tools.

What you can find on the site

The navigation reflects the division's core functions. Key sections include:

Area What it covers
Financial Assistance "Do I Qualify?", how to apply, FAQs, subsidized child care services, market rates, and a subsidy rate calculator
Licensing Getting a license, license overview, visit types, licensing requirements and FAQs, annual license fee, Star Rated License
Background Checks Child care, adoption, foster care, and out-of-state/interstate background check information
NC Pre-K Program information, approved curricula and formative assessments, advisory committee meetings
Workforce Workforce Education Unit, WORKS reporting system, Early Educator Support (EES), employment and eligibility
Rules and Law Child Care Rules, Law and Public Information, Child Care Commission minutes and agenda, rule changes
Data and Reports Data dashboards, NC Pre-K data, legislative reports, subsidy expenditure reports

Important: the division has moved

The page carries a prominent notice: "The Division of Child Development and Early Education has moved!" This means the content you are looking for may no longer be hosted at this address. If a link fails or information looks outdated, check NC.Gov or search for the DCDEE section on the current NC DHHS site.

What the site is not

This is an informational and navigational resource. Based on the page content, it does not appear to offer direct online applications or payment processing. For example, the financial assistance section points to "How to Apply" and FAQs rather than an embedded application form, and licensing pages describe requirements rather than accepting submissions. Treat the site as a starting point for understanding programs and finding the right forms or contacts — not as a transactional portal.

How to use it

  1. Identify your role — parent, provider, or educator — and go to the matching section.
  2. For child care help, start with Financial Assistance to check eligibility and application steps.
  3. For opening or running a facility, use Licensing and Background Checks.
  4. For NC Pre-K questions, go to the NC Pre-K section for curricula and program details.
  5. If a page is missing, follow the "moved" notice and search NC.Gov for the current DCDEE location.