Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act is the law (along with Section 418 of the Social Security Act) that authorizes the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). The recent reauthorization of the CCDBG, Act of 2014, brought for the first time in 18 years, new state requirements for early care and education. CCDF is the primary Federal funding source devoted to providing low-income families that are working or participating in education and training with help paying for child care and improving the quality of child care for all children. The CCDF program helps fund child care assistance for over 1.4 million children each month throughout the United States, U.S. Territories and Tribal communities. In addition, the investments in quality benefit millions more children by building the skills and qualifications of the teacher workforce, supporting child care programs to achieve higher standards, and providing consumer education to help parents select child care that meets their families’ needs. For more information regarding the CCDBG Act of 2014.
The CCDF Reauthorization law enhanced the statutory purposes of the CCDF program to better balance the dual purposes of promoting children’s healthy development and school success and supporting parents who are working or in training or education:
CCDF goals are to:
- allow each State maximum flexibility in developing child care programs and policies that best suit the needs of children and parents within that State;
- promote parental choice to empower working parents to make their own decisions regarding the child care services that best suits their family’s needs;
- encourage States to provide consumer education information to help parents make informed choices about child care services and to promote involvement by parents and family members in the development of their children in child care settings;
- assist States in delivering high-quality, coordinated early childhood care and education services to maximize parents’ options and support parents trying to achieve independence from public assistance;
- assist States in improving the overall quality of child care services and programs by implementing the health, safety, licensing, training, and oversight standards established in this subchapter and in State law (including State regulations);
- improve child care and development of participating children; and
- increase the number and percentage of low-income children in high-quality child care settings.
The CCDF Plan is a triennial application submitted to the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care, describing how the state of North Carolina plans to spend funds given to the state for child care subsidies and systemic child care improvements. If the plans are approved, funds are awarded the next year.
Approved North Carolina Child Care and Development Fund Plan 2025-2027
Approved North Carolina Child Care and Development Fund Plan 2022-2024 with Amendment 1
Approved North Carolina Child Care and Development Fund Plan 2022-2024
Approved North Carolina Child Care and Development Fund Plan for 2019-2021
Approved North Carolina Child Care and Development Fund Plan 2019-2021 with Amendments 1-4
Approved North Carolina Child Care and Development Fund Plan for 2016-2018
North Carolina Quality Progress Reports are an annual report that provides a description of activities funded with Child Care and Development Block Grant funds to improve the quality of child care programs and services to children ages birth to age 12.
Approved Quality Progress Report for North Carolina FFY 2023
Approved Quality Progress Report for North Carolina FFY 2022
Approved Quality Progress Report for North Carolina FFY 2021
Approved Quality Progress Report for North Carolina FFY 2020
Approved Quality Progress Report for North Carolina FFY 2019
Approved Quality Progress Report for North Carolina FFY 2018
Notice of Public Hearing on the North Carolina Child Care and Development Fund Plan
DRAFT NC CCDF Plan 2025-2027
Recently Implemented CCDF Requirements:
New Health and Safety Training Requirements
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDF) includes provisions related to health and safety training requirements. States must have pre-service (or during an orientation) period training and on-going training requirements in place for child care providers in specific topics areas identified in the law.
Developmental Monitoring and Screening
Starting at birth and continuing throughout childhood, children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and move. Children’s development should be observed, or monitored, on an ongoing basis in their home, child care settings, and anywhere else children spend their time. Frequent monitoring and screening of young children for healthy growth and development is recommended to help identify potential areas needing further evaluation. Learn more about Developmental Monitoring and Screening English or Spanish.
Early Childhood Suspension and Expulsion Policy
The NC Early Childhood Suspension and Expulsion policy statement is a requirement of the CCDBG Reauthorization Act of 2014 that aims to prevent, reduce, and eliminate suspension and expulsion in early care and education settings.
See the North Carolina Early Childhood Suspension and Expulsion Policy Statement Summary.
See the Division of Child Development and Early Education Suspension and Expulsion Policy Statement.
Supporting Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness
Given the number of young children who are experiencing homelessness and its devastating impacts on development, preschool programs play a critical role in meeting these children’s need for quality early care and education. Making special efforts to identify young children experiencing homelessness is critical to understanding the scope of homelessness among families with young children. The Division of Child Development and Early Education has partnered with NC’s State Coordinators of Education for Homeless Children and Youth, local liaisons and our partner agencies to ensure that information on the full range of child care services available for families experiencing homelessness is made available. For more information, see Supporting Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness.