What's Happening in North Carolina?

The Economic Impact of the Child Care Industry in North Carolina

The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. and the National Economic Development and Law Center (NEDLC) released a study on the child care industry in North Carolina.

For more information visit www.ncsmartstart.org or www.nedlc.org. For other questions, call Greer Bowen Beaty, Public Information Officer, NCPC (919) 821-7999 or Jen Wohl, Child Care Program Manager, NEDLC, 510 910-5444.

Health Care Initiatives

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® Health Insurance Program. Helps fund the cost of health insurance for individuals working in child care programs. Child care providers are eligible to have up to one-third of the cost of individual (not family) health insurance coverage reimbursed, if they meet the conditions of the program.

For more information contact the Child Care Services Association at (919) 967-3272 or by email at info@childcareservices.org

Professional Development Opportunities

Community Allies is based in Durham, NC and provides training and consultation to promote research-based information to teachers, administrators, parents and policy makers. Community Allies offers the following trainings: Taking on Turnover, LEAP, Model Work Standards, and Lifting the Lid.

For more information, contact Kate Thegen at 919-479-8106 or by email at commallies@aol.com

Scholarship Programs

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® Project. This program which gives scholarships to child care workers to complete course work in early childhood education and to increase their compensation, was first developed and implemented in North Carolina. The T.E.A.C.H. model is currently being implemented in 23 states.

For more information contact the Child Care Services Association at (919) 967-3272 or by email at info@childcareservices.org

Wage Incentives

Child Care W.A.G.E.$® Program. This program which was developed in North Carolina provides graduated salary supplements linked to the education level of participating child care providers.

For more information contact the Child Care Services Association at (919) 967-3272 or by email at info@childcareservices.org

Other Resources

The Association of Early Childhood Professionals received funding for a LEAP Project in Greensboro, NC for 2002-2003. Fifteen participants took the leadership course through the University of North Carolina Greensboro. They identified state subsidy rates and health insurance as their primary focus for action. They are continuing together in Leadership Circles to work on these issues as well as doing advocacy work related to state budgets threats to current compensation initiatives in North Carolina.

For more information contact Rosemarie Vardell at 336-965-2947 or by email at r_vardel@uncg.edu