New Report Highlights BBF as Strategy for Addressing Child Care Crisis
The NC Chamber Foundation released a report on February 25, 2025 studying strategies for expanding the supply of accessible, affordable, high-quality care options for North Carolina families. Addressing North Carolina's Child Care Crisis: Eleven Strategies to Expand Supply & Support for Working Families discusses apprenticeship and Building Bright Futures as a promising solution to the difficulties child care providers have in recruiting and retaining qualified child care staff.
On March 10, 2025, Governor Josh Stein signed an executive order creating the bipartisan North Carolina Task Force on Child Care and Early Education. The task force seeks to identify solutions to expand access to affordable, high-quality child care and early education across North Carolina, and to support and grow the child care workforce. Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt is also addressing child care, early childhood education, and workforce development with her Future-Ready NC plan.
North Carolina’s children, families, and businesses need more early childhood education and care options, and Building Bright Futures is an innovative solution to increase access. By supporting and encouraging students to enter the early childhood profession, we’ll help make sure more families and employers have the quality child care they need to thrive.