State of Emergency Rules for School-Age Care

The NC Child Care Commission has adopted emergency rules and is proposing temporary rules to comply with the Governor's declaration of a state of emergency due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) to enact protective measures to help prevent the spread of the disease. This disease can result in serious illness or death to the public. The public health emergency, and the resulting closure of public schools, has impacted North Carolina school-age children and their families. To the degree that it is able, the North Carolina Child Care Commission is implementing emergency rules in order to give public schools options to provide care outside, or in addition to, the traditional school building, as well as give licensed facilities some flexibility to create and fill additional slots for school-age children to receive care while attending remote/online learning programs.  The emergency rules will become effective on August 13, 2020 and will be published in the NC Register on September 1, 2020.

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.1A when the Commission adopts emergency rules, they must simultaneously begin the temporary rulemaking process to replace the emergency rules and hold a public hearing on the rules to solicit comments. The comment period will be August 12 through September 2. The public hearing will be held on August 19, 2020, from 9:00 am until 10:30am.  The meeting will be held by WebEx and the public is invited. Additional information regarding how to participate in the public hearing will be forthcoming.

On August 5, NCDHHS shared a letter with public school superintendents regarding options for families who need child care during periods of remote learning for their school-aged children who are enrolled in public schools (ages 5 to 12). NCDHHS also shared a letter with families and parents, which is available in English and Spanish.