ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov

The NC DHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) site at ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov organizes its services into a few main sections: Regulatory Services (licensing and rules), Subsidy Services (financial assistance for child care), and the Criminal Background Check Unit (which handles several distinct types of background checks). If you know which of these three areas your question falls under, you can go straight to that section rather than searching the whole site. Note that the site's own homepage currently displays a notice that "The Division of Child Development and Early Education has moved!" — so if you land on an old page, check for a redirect or updated link before assuming the content is gone.

Licensing: rules, star ratings, and fees

Licensing information lives under the Licensing section of the site. The main entry points are:

• Child Care License Overview — the starting point for understanding what a license covers.
• Licensing Requirements and Licensing Requirements FAQ — the actual rules a provider must meet.
• Star Rated License and Star Rated License FAQs — how the state's star rating system works.
• Education Standards and Program Standards — the criteria behind star ratings.
• Increasing Your Star Rating and How Points Are Earned — for providers already licensed who want to move up.
• Annual License Fee — fee information for licensed facilities.
• Visit Types — what to expect from a licensing visit.

If you're a parent trying to check whether a specific provider is licensed, start with the Licensing section rather than the subsidy or background check pages — those serve different purposes.

Subsidy: who qualifies, how to apply, and rate tools

Subsidy Services covers financial assistance for child care. The practical path through this section is:

1. Do I Qualify? — check eligibility first.
2. How to Apply — the application process once you know you're eligible.
3. Financial Assistance FAQs — answers to common questions along the way.
4. Subsidy Rate Calculator and Market Rates — tools and data for understanding what the subsidy pays.
5. Subsidized Child Care Services and Subsidy Funding Authorization — program details.
6. Subsidy Compliance Unit and Provider Compliance Training — for providers participating in the subsidy program.

The site also links NC FAST, the state system associated with benefits applications, which is relevant if your application moves through that platform.

Background checks: pick the right type first

The Criminal Background Check Unit is not a single service — it branches by purpose, and choosing the wrong entry will send you to the wrong forms and requirements. The site lists these distinct categories:

If your situation involves more than one state, look at both the Out of State and Interstate pages, since they address different scenarios.

Other sections worth knowing

Beyond the three main areas, the site also hosts:

• NC Pre-K — the state pre-kindergarten program, including an Advisory Committee and program data.
• Workforce Education Unit — with WORKS (Workforce Online Reporting and Knowledge System), Early Educator Support (EES), and Employment and Eligibility resources.
• Stabilization Grants — a grant program listed under "What's New."
• Data Dashboards — including NC Pre-K data and "Behind the Dashboard" context.
• Child Care Rules, Law and Public Information — the legal and regulatory source material, including the Child Care Commission's minutes, powers, and rule changes.

A quick way to decide where to start

• You're a parent checking a provider or applying for help → Subsidy Services (Do I Qualify? → How to Apply).
• You're a provider or want to open a facility → Licensing (Child Care License Overview → Licensing Requirements).
• You need a background check → Criminal Background Check Unit, then pick the category matching your role.
• You want the rules or legal basis → Child Care Rules, Law and Public Information.

Because the site carries a "has moved" notice, confirm you're on the current DCDEE location before relying on any single page — and use the section names above as your search terms if a direct link doesn't resolve.

Families in North Carolina can learn about subsidized child care through the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) website at ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. The site provides dedicated pages for Subsidized Child Care Services and Financial Assistance, including a "Do I Qualify?" section, a "How to Apply" guide, a Subsidy Rate Calculator, Market Rates information, and a Financial Assistance FAQ. These resources are designed to help families understand eligibility and the application process before contacting their local department of social services.

Where to Find Subsidy Information on the DCDEE Site

The DCDEE website organizes subsidy-related content under its Subsidy Services and Financial Assistance sections. Key pages include:

• Subsidized Child Care Services – an overview of the state's subsidy program
• Do I Qualify? – guidance on eligibility factors
• How to Apply – steps for starting an application
• Financial Assistance FAQs – answers to common questions
• Subsidy Rate Calculator – a tool for estimating subsidy amounts
• Market Rates – published rate information used in subsidy calculations
• Subsidy Funding Authorization – information on how funding is authorized
• Subsidy Compliance Unit – oversight and compliance details
• Expenditure Reports and Fact Sheets – background data and program summaries

These pages are accessible from the main navigation menu under the Subsidy Services and Financial Assistance headings.

Checking Eligibility: The "Do I Qualify?" Page

The Do I Qualify? page is the starting point for families who want to know whether they may be eligible for subsidized child care. It presents the general factors that determine eligibility, such as income, family size, and the reason the family needs child care (for example, working or attending school). Because eligibility rules can change and individual circumstances vary, the page directs families to their local department of social services for a formal determination.

How to Apply for Subsidized Child Care

The How to Apply page explains the application process. In North Carolina, subsidy applications are handled through county departments of social services rather than through the state DCDEE office directly. The page outlines what families can expect, including the need to contact their county office and provide documentation of income, family composition, and child care need. Families should use this page to understand the sequence of steps before beginning an application.

Estimating Subsidy Amounts

Two resources help families understand how subsidy amounts are determined:

• Market Rates – the published rates that reflect the cost of child care in different regions and age groups
• Subsidy Rate Calculator – a tool that uses rate information to help estimate what a family might receive

These tools are useful for planning, but they provide estimates only. Actual subsidy amounts depend on the family's specific circumstances and are determined by the county during the application process.

Common Questions and Additional Support

The Financial Assistance FAQs page addresses frequent questions about subsidized child care, including eligibility, application steps, and what happens after applying. Families who still have questions after reviewing the FAQ and other pages should contact their local department of social services, which administers the subsidy program at the county level.

For a full picture of available services, families can also explore related DCDEE sections such as NC Pre-K, Child Care Rules, Law and Public Information, and Licensing, which provide context on the broader early care and education system in North Carolina.

North Carolina's Star Rated License is the state's tiered quality rating for licensed child care programs, administered by the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). A program's star rating (from one to five stars) reflects two things: Education Standards (the qualifications and ongoing education of the staff) and Program Standards (how well the program meets quality requirements beyond basic licensing). If you are a provider, your rating is built from points earned across these two components, and DCDEE publishes guidance on how points are earned and how to move up.

The two components behind your star rating

The Star Rated License is not a single checklist. DCDEE evaluates programs along two separate dimensions, and your overall star rating combines them.

Education Standards

This component looks at the formal education and credentials of the people caring for children in your program. Higher staff qualifications translate into more points.

Program Standards

This component goes beyond minimum licensing requirements and rewards programs that meet higher quality benchmarks. The DCDEE site lists Program Standards as a distinct topic under Licensing, alongside Education Standards.

A one-star license generally means the program meets basic licensing requirements. Additional stars are earned by accumulating points in these two areas.

Where to find the rules and point structure

DCDEE's Licensing section organizes the relevant material so you can work through it in order:

• Star Rated License — the main overview page for the rating system.
• Education Standards — what counts toward the education side of your points.
• Program Standards — what counts toward the program-quality side.
• How Points Are Earned — the mechanics of converting your qualifications and program quality into a star rating.
• Increasing Your Star Rating — DCDEE's own guidance on steps to raise your rating.
• Star Rated License FAQs — answers to common questions about the process.

If you are new to the system entirely, start with Child Care License Overview and Licensing Requirements before diving into the star rating specifics, since the star rating builds on top of a valid license.

How providers typically increase their star rating

Because the rating is point-based across two components, the practical path to a higher rating usually involves working both sides:

1. Review your current point total. Use the "How Points Are Earned" material to see where your program currently stands and which component is holding you back.
2. Strengthen Education Standards. This generally means staff earning additional credentials or education that DCDEE recognizes. The Education Standards page defines what qualifies.
3. Strengthen Program Standards. This means meeting quality benchmarks above the licensing floor. The Program Standards page defines the specific criteria.
4. Check DCDEE's own improvement guidance. The "Increasing Your Star Rating" page is written specifically for providers in your position and should be your primary reference.
5. Confirm details against the FAQs. Rating rules have specifics that are easy to misread; the Star Rated License FAQs address common points of confusion.

Key things to keep in mind

• The star rating is separate from your license. You need a valid child care license first; the star rating is a quality tier on top of it.
• Both components matter. A program with highly educated staff but weak program standards, or strong program standards but under-credentialed staff, will not reach the top of the scale.
• Use DCDEE as the authoritative source. The point values, recognized credentials, and program criteria are defined by DCDEE, so the pages under Licensing on ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov are the reference to follow rather than secondhand summaries.
• The site has moved. DCDEE notes on its homepage that the division has moved, so if you land on an older link, follow the current navigation to reach the Licensing and Star Rated License pages.

For a provider deciding where to invest time and training dollars, the fastest way to a concrete plan is to read "How Points Are Earned" alongside your program's current standing, then use "Increasing Your Star Rating" to prioritize the gaps.

NC Pre-K is North Carolina's state-funded pre-kindergarten program for four-year-old children, administered by the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) within the NC Department of Health and Human Services. The DCDEE website (ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov) is the official source for program information, approved curricula, formative assessment guidance, advisory committee materials, and program data. Families, providers, and educators can use these pages to understand what the program offers and how it is run.

What NC Pre-K Is

NC Pre-K is a program designed to provide high-quality educational experiences for eligible four-year-old children to enhance their school readiness. It sits within DCDEE's broader early care and learning system, alongside child care licensing, subsidy services, and workforce education.

The program is not the same as child care subsidy. Subsidy helps families pay for child care; NC Pre-K is a specific pre-kindergarten program with its own eligibility and delivery structure. Both are administered under the DCDEE umbrella, but they serve different purposes and have separate application paths.

How DCDEE Administers the Program

DCDEE oversees NC Pre-K through several connected functions visible on the site:

• Program administration — NC Pre-K operates under DCDEE's Division of Child Development and Early Education, which sets program standards and manages state-level oversight.
• Approved curricula and formative assessment — The site lists Approved Curricula / Formative Assessment resources, which define what instructional approaches and assessment tools programs may use.
• Four-year-old formative assessments — A dedicated section addresses assessment for four-year-olds, supporting the program's focus on measuring and supporting children's development.
• Advisory committee — The NC Pre-K Advisory Committee Meeting materials are published, giving the public visibility into the guidance structure behind the program.
• Data and reporting — NC Pre-K Data and Data Dashboards provide program-level information for those who want to see how NC Pre-K is performing across the state.

Eligibility and Participation

The site's structure points families and providers toward NC Pre-K pages for details on participation. Because eligibility rules, enrollment processes, and local delivery can vary, the authoritative details live on the NC Pre-K program pages rather than in general summaries. Families should start with the NC Pre-K section of the DCDEE site; providers interested in offering NC Pre-K should review the same pages plus the licensing and education standards sections that govern program quality.

Where to Look on the DCDEE Site

Practical Notes

• NC Pre-K is specifically for four-year-old children, distinguishing it from broader child care services.
• The program is administered by DCDEE, so licensing, workforce, and subsidy information on the same site provides useful context but is not a substitute for NC Pre-K-specific pages.
• For current eligibility details, enrollment steps, and local availability, use the NC Pre-K pages on ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov, since program specifics are maintained there rather than in static summaries.

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:

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.