Get Started

This section of the Guide walks you through child care policies that support employees; outlines how each can be structured; notes best practices where they exist; and explores some of the new approaches that are happening across the country.

Need a first step?

Start with sharing our child care needs assessment with your employees to understand their needs for child care, preference for care and what could help them.

We understand that this is a complex issue, and you may need more support. 

If you’re ready to add child care services but need support, there are a number of partners who know the industry and are available to help.

Partner with The North Carolina Child Care Resource & Referral Council

The Child Care Resource & Referral Council (CCR&R) enables families, practitioners and communities to recognize, support and access high quality, affordable child care. Employer-supported CCR&R services can be a cost effective option for an employer. There is a tax credit available for CCR&R services, and services can be easily made available to all employees—which allows employers to meet IRS rules. Available services include:

• Educational workshops and on-site classes for employees.
• Referral services for employees, including reviews for specialized services for families with additional needs, such as developmental delays, medical support, language needs, etc.
• Finding child care in your community.
• A review of employers’ organizational work-life culture and guidance on developing family-friendly policies and procedures.
• Guidance on employer-sponsored subsidies to help employees afford the cost of child care.
• Assistance setting up and implementing on-site child care.

Partner with Early Years (formerly Child Care Services Association)

Early Years is a nonprofit organization based in North Carolina that offers a wide range of child care services and support for businesses, including:

• Early Years can manage an employer’s subsidy program. They work with employers to decide what is covered; who can qualify; and what the parameters of the policy should be. 
• Early Years offers Enhanced Child Care Education and Referral Services through one-on-one support for families to identify child care services that fit their needs and support them through the process to access a child care provider.
• Early Years can contract with the child care providers on behalf of employers.
• Early Years can support employers who are interested in providing on-site child care with preparing an RFP to select a provider to operate a child care center.

Connect with your local Partnership for Children

The North Carolina Partnership for Children, also known as Smart Start, was established in 1993 as a public/private partnership to provide statewide early childhood infrastructure. Independent, private organizations work in all 100 North Carolina counties through the North Carolina Partnership for Children and 75 Local Partnerships. Your local Smart Start Partnership can offer helpful resources for employers, such as creating a child care referral list for parents and connecting families to additional resources to support their young children.