COVID-19: Important Information and Resources

Digital Resources for COVID-19 At Your Fingertips

Our thoughts are with you as we all face the challenges of coping with the outbreak of the Coronavirus and the rapid changes it is bringing to our daily lives. We know that parents and childcare providers are significantly impacted right now, and we will be continuing our advocacy work on behalf of young children and their families.

This page will serve as a platform for the latest news, guidance, and resources, as well as keeping you updated on ways that you can take action to support families and the early childhood system. Help guide and inform our work by sharing your story about how this is impacting you and what support you think is needed.

Things are evolving quickly, so please check back regularly for the latest updates. We wish you all continued good health and safety as we work together in these unprecedented times to do what’s best for our county’s young children. 

News & Resources

Critical Information for Child Care Centers from the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE):

Health Guidance:

• Click here for detailed guidance to help childcare facilities make informed decisions about COVID-19 and minimize the risk of exposure to both the staff and the children in their care.
• Click here for a list of childcare health consultants assigned to each county who are available to answer questions.
• Medicaid Flexibility for COVID-19 Response

Financial Support for Child Care Programs: 

• Child Care Subsidy: for the month of March, all centers will receive full subsidy payment for each child enrolled in their facility according to each child’s plan of care.
• NC Pre-K: Pre-K programs will be paid in full for the entire month of March regardless of child attendance or closure.
• Emergency Loans: Gov. Cooper requested that the U.S. Small Business Administration grant North Carolina an emergency declaration that would allow for small businesses economically affected by the coronavirus to receive loans

Regulatory Flexibility:

• DCDEE is actively working to identify policy and regulatory requirements that can be temporarily waived, while still ensuring the health, safety and well-being of children. Click here for a chart that shows which rules now have some flexibility.
• During the crisis, all monitoring visits and environmental rated license assessments will not take place. This temporary change does not include investigations of complaints and investigations of child maltreatment.

Additional Resources from NC Department of Health & Human Services and DCDEE:

• For up to the minute information, please visit COVID-19 Response in NC Guidance for Child Care Centers.

Resources from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

• Guidance for Schools and Child Care Centers
• Guidance for Pregnant Women and Children
• Stop the Spread of Germs Flyer (in English and Spanish)

Resources from Child Care Services Association:

• Child care providers: help inform parents about your availability or closure by updating your program’s open/closed status.
• Parents: click here for free services to find available child care.

Resources for Child Care Providers and Parents from National Organizations:

• Child Care Aware of America: Coronavirus News and Resources (including a webinar, decision-making guidance for centers, and policy resources)
• NAEYC: News and Resources (including a survey for child care centers and an online community for questions)
• NAEYC: Child Care in Crisis – Understanding the Effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic
• ZERO TO THREE: How to Talk to Children about the Coronavirus
• NPR: Just for Kids – a Comic Exploring Coronavirus
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Resources for Parents