North Carolina’s economic potential is immense. From education to job creation to entrepreneurship, we have invested in a state where everyone can find a good-paying job and build a home for their family.
But there’s one key area where the North Carolina General Assembly has let working families down: child care. In 2016, one in four children across our state lived in a child care desert. In 2022, the situation wasn’t much better. Fewer than one in five toddlers in North Carolina could be served by existing child care facilities and professionals.
This problem affects all North Carolinians. Over 62% of families with infants work — but seven counties across our state had no vacancies in 2022, and most of those counties had facilities for less than 10% of toddlers. This problem is especially pronounced in our rural counties, but right here in Durham, available child care spaces only existed for 21% of toddlers. Durham residents don’t need to be told this is a problem — but the General Assembly does…